IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


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L25  ||||U  1 1.6 


Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


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33  «VKT  MAM  STRMT 

wnSTn,N.Y.  14SM 

(71*)  •73-4503 


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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Inatituta  for  Historical  IMicroraproductions  /  Inttitut  Canadian  da  microraproductions  historiquaa 


^ 


.C 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notas/Notas  tachniquaa  at  bibiiographiquaa 


Tha  Instituta  has  attamptad  to  obtain  tha  bast 
original  copy  availcbia  for  filming.  Faaturas  of  this 
copy  which  may  ba  bibliographicaily  uniqua, 
which  may  altar  any  of  tha  imagas  in  tha 
reproduction,  or  which  may  significantly  changa 
tha  usual  method  of  filming,  are  chackad  below. 


D 


D 


D 


D 
D 


D 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


Couverture  endommagAa 


Covers  restored  and/or  laminatad/ 
Couverture  restaur6a  et/ou  pelliculAe 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


La  titre  de  couverture  manque 


□    Coloured  maps/ 
Cartes  gAographiques  an  couleur 


Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  blaua  ou  noire) 


I      I   Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


D 


Planches  et/ou  illustrations  an  coulaur 

Bound  with  other  material/ 
RaliA  avec  d'autras  documents 

Tight  binding  may  causa  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

La  re  liure  serr^e  peut  causer  de  I'ombre  ou  da  la 
distortion  la  long  da  la  marge  intAriaura 

Blank  leaves  added  during  restoration  may 
appear  within  tha  text.  Whenever  possible,  these 
have  been  omitted  from  filming/ 
II  se  peut  que  certainas  pages  blanches  ajouttos 
lors  d'una  restauration  apparaissant  dans  la  taxta, 
mais,  lorsque  cela  Atait  possible,  cas  |Mges  n'ont 
pas  At6  filmtes. 

Additional  comments:/ 
Commentairas  supplAmantairas- 


Til 
to 


L'Institut  a  microfilm*  la  mailleur  exemplaira 
qu'il  lui  a  AtA  possible  de  se  procurer.  Les  details 
da  cat  axamplaira  qui  sont  paut-Atra  uniques  du 
point  do  vua  bibliographiqua,  qui  pauvant  modifier 
una  image  raproduite,  ou  qui  pauvent  axiger  une 
modification  dans  la  mithoda  normale  de  filmaga 
sont  indiqute  ci-dessous. 


I      I   Coloured  pages/ 


Pagas  de  couleur 

Pages  damaged/ 
Pagas  andommagtes 


□    Pagas  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Pagas  restaur6as  et/ou  pelliculAes 


Pages  discoloured,  stained  or  foxed/ 
Pagas  dAcolorAes,  tachatAes  ou  piquAes 


x/ 


x/ 


D 


Tr 

po 
of 

fii 


Oi 
ba 
th 
sic 
ot 
fir 
si( 
or 


□    Pagas  detached/ 
Pagas  dAtachtes 


Showth'ough/ 
Transparence 

Quality  of  print  varies/ 
Qualit^  inAgala  da  I'inipression 


I      I    Includes  supplementary  material/ 


Comprand  du  matirial  supplimantaira 

Only  edition  avaiSabIa/ 
Saule  Edition  disponible 


Th 
sh 
Tl 
wl 

Ml 
dil 

•n| 
ba 
rig 
ra( 
m« 


Pagas  wholly  or  partially  obscured  by  errata 
slips,  tissues,  etc.,  have  been  refilmed  to 
ensure  the  best  possible  image/ 
Les  pages  totalamant  ou  partiailement 
obscurcies  par  un  feuillet  d'errata,  una  pelure, 
etc..  ont  M  filmies  A  nouveau  da  fapon  i 
obtanir  la  maillaura  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  tha  reduction  ratio  chackad  below/ 

Ca  document  eat  film*  au  taux  da  rMuction  indiqu*  ci-dassous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


26X 


30X 


y 


12X 


16X 


aox 


24X 


28X 


32X 


The  copy  film«d  hare  hat  been  raproducod  thanka 
to  tha  ganaroaity  of: 

Library  of  tha  Public 
Archivaa  of  Canada 


L'axamplaira  f ilmA  f ut  raproduit  grAca  A  la 
ginAroaitA  da: 

La  bibliothAqua  das  Archives 
publiques  du  Canada 


The  imagea  appearing  here  are  the  beat  quality 
poaaibia  conaidaring  tha  condition  and  legibility 
of  the  original  copy  and  in  keeping  with  the 
filming  contract  apacif ications. 


Original  copies  in  printed  paper  covera  are  filmed 
beginning  with  the  front  cover  and  ending  on 
the  laat  page  with  a  printed  or  illuatratad  imprea- 
sion,  or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  originel  copies  are  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  Illuatratad  impraa- 
aion,  and  ending  on  the  laat  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impreaaion. 


Lea  images  suivantea  ont  MA  raproduites  avac  la 
plus  grand  soin,  compta  tenu  de  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattetA  da  rexemplaira  filmA,  et  en 
conformitA  avac  las  conditions  du  contrat  da 
filmage. 

Lea  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  an 
papier  eat  ImprimAe  sont  filmAs  en  commenyant 
par  la  premier  plat  et  en  terminant  soit  par  la 
darnlAre  page  qui  comporta  una  empreinte 
d'Impreasion  ou  d'illustration,  soit  par  la  second 
plat,  salon  la  cas.  Tous  las  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmAs  en  commenpant  par  la 
pramlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'Impreasion  ou  d'illuatration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  darnlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
ahall  contain  tha  symbol  — ^  (meening  "CON- 
TINUED ").  or  the  aymbol  Y  (meaning  "END  "), 
whichever  appiiaa. 


Un  dee  symboles  suivants  apparattra  sur  la 
darnlAre  imege  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
caa:  la  aymbole  — »-  aignifia  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Mapa,  piatea,  charta,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  et 
different  reduction  retioa.  Thoae  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  'n  one  expoaura  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  end  top  to  bottom,  aa  many  framea  aa 
required.  The  followir?g  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Lee  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc..  peuvent  Atre 
filmAa  A  das  taux  da  rAduction  diff Arants. 
Loraqua  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  aaui  clichA.  il  eat  filmA  A  partir 
da  Tangle  supArieur  gauche,  de  gauche  A  droite. 
et  de  haut  an  bas.  an  prenant  le  nombre 
d'imagas  nAcessoire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illuatrent  la  mAthode. 


1  2  3 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

Vi^ 


ml, 

in 


(6 


i: 
I- 

IS 

n 

E 
E 


i: 


•4>1- 1-.-'- 


/  ■ 


■^ 


M  JUARIA   MONK'8  l!!! 

S  SHOW-UP  III         p 

[|  OR,    THE  I  III 

[R  ''•^wful  Disclosures^''^  ^ 

m    ..     A  HUMBUG.  Jj 

[Ijl    Such  Lies  arc  not  lo  be  (<  jBotfi*tte."  Ijy] 

im  —  @ 


il 

1^ 


,P^  60-AHEAD-PRESS,  ^ 

!»|   ISi  DIVISION  &  85  FULTON-ST.  ||J 


NKW-YORK. 


J. 

i 


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,1' 

f: 


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■i'i 


..  - -■■-,1-- —  "V-<..    I 


I 


,    •  M  V     i . .   .rv  ; 


•■-'•.(^ 


-*         VISIT  TO  MONTREAL, 

MARIA   MONK'S  "  AWFUL   DISCLOSbRES  !  I" 

EXAMINATION    OP   THE    HOTEL    DIEU.  '    ' 


In  the  comse  of  u  recent  rtyin^  excursion  tliroii<;;Ii  a  portion 
of  Lower  Cmmda,  bordering  upon  tho  bt.   Lawrence,  it  waa 
both  cJesiral)lo  and  convenient  to  pass  a  few  days  in  ^lontrcal. 
The  sojourn, in  good  wealhur,upon  that  rich  and  beauiil'iil  island 
of  which  the  city  bears  the  naine,coidd  scarce  be  otiierwiso  than 
pleasant  to  the  ininring  traveller,  under  any  cinunistanccs. — 
Doubly  so  was  it  reiulercd  to   us   by   the  hind  allentions  and 
hospitalities  of  intelligent  fritMids,  who  spared  no  pains  in  con- 
tributing to  our  comfort,  and  ministering  to  our  curio:-ity.        '  ! 
To  an  American  who  h.is  not  "  been  abroad,"  and  whose 
eye  is  accu-tomed  only  to  the  light  and  airy  towns  and  cities  of 
our  own  coiuitry,  t!)o  narrow  streets,  and  dark,  massivi    built 
stone  dwellings  and  store-houses,  erected  with  an  eye  t.  'jcr 
to  use,  conveniiine  and  C';i,ifuit,  tluui   to    tho    gratitiration  of 
taste,  or  any  coni'ct  principles  of  architecture,  the  city  itself 
presents  few  external  attraction?.       IJnt  its   loci: ion   id  very 
beaulit'ul.      'J'he  island  upon   llio  soulli-eaatern  f-ide  of  which 
the  city  is  built,  is  lormed  by  the  St.    La.vrencc  on  the  south, 
and  bj  a  branch  of  the  Ottawa  on  the  north.     It  is  fliirty  miles 
in  length,  l)y  ten  and  a  half   in  breadth — constituting   a  very 
large  sei^iiory,  and  bidongitig  to  the  lloinan  (,'atholic  Seminary. 
\Vith  tlie  exception  of  a  siiigle  mountain  rising  n(<ar  the  cen- 
tre, to  the  height  of  from  five  to  ci-ht  hundred  fci;t,  the  island 
is  perfectly  level,  and  for  the  mo-i  part,  in  a  high  state  of  cul- 
tivation.     The  ba:)e  ;ind  siilc^  of  the  mountain  arc  adorned  by 
orchards,  gardens,  villas,  and  subslauti  d  country  seals  of  tho 
most  opulent  citizens,    \\liile    it  h  crested  with   a   noblo  ar- 
ray of  primitive  ibri-st  trees.       Tlie  orch;irds   are  mimerous 
and  thrd'iy — producing  an  abundance  of  ap|dc.5  of  the  liuest 
varieties,  s(!veral  ol'  which  wc-re  entirely  new  to  me.       All  tho 
usual  garden  fruits  are  produced  in  great  abundaneo  and  per- 
fection.    In  riding  upon  the  side  of  the  moimtain,  and  at  the 
left,  as  wo  were  climbing  the  road  that  passes  over  it,  among 
other  fine  country  estates,  my  attention  was  directed  to  an  an- 
cient stone  edifice,  on  the  skirt  of  the  ascent,  surrounded  by  a 
wall,  formerly  distinguished  by  tho  appellation  of  tho  Chateau 
des  Seii^neiirs  de  Montreal,  but  now  generally  called  La  Mai- 
ton  des  Petres,  or  the  Priest's  Farm,  as  it  belongs  to  the  semi- 
nar^) and  19  occupied  aa  i^  sumpier  retreat  and  place  of  r»* 


•    •  •  • 


■^31>-f 


croatlon  during  the  warm  weather.  The  groutids  arc  ample, 
nomprisiiig  spacious  gardens  and  orchards,  and  all  thu  mem- 
born  of  the  seminary,  priests,  tutors  and  pupils,  resort  thither 
onco  n,  week  in  summer. 

I'rom  the  summit  of  this  mountain,  (he  view  is  exceedingly 
^ictuicsque  and  beautiful.  The  island  itself,  nnd  the  eastern 
shore  of  the  St.  Lawrence— ^pouring  the  mighty  (loods  of  the 
great  lakes  into  the  Northern  Ocean — are  Ihiokly  inhabited  to 
the  extent  of  many  miles.  The  parish  churches  arc  iiiimcrous, 
and  every  where  surrounded  by  the  neat  white  cotlnges  of  the 
peasantry  clustering  around  them.  The  rapids  of  Lachinc  in 
a  perpetual  foam  above  the  sweet  island  of  the  nuns  on  the 
South ;  the  charming  island  of  St.  Helen's,  with  its  fortifica- 
tions in  front  of  the  city,  and  the  lofty  mountains  of  Vermont 
and  Chambly  in  the  azure  distance  on  the  cast  and  south-east ; 
with  a  level  plain,  sprinkled  with  villages,  t'arms,  orchards,  and 
gardens,  all  around  from  the  St.  Lawrence  to  thu  Ottawa, 
spreading  beneath  the  feet  of  the  beholder,  combine  to  nuike 
up  a  landscape  such  as  is  rarely  excelled,  either  for  luxuriance, 
variety  or  beauty.  But  enough — perhaps  already  too  much — 
of  description.     I  will  now  proceed  to  graver  matters. 

Among  the  religious  and  other  public  institutions  of  Mon- 
treal demanding  the  attention  of  the  inquisitive  stranger,  the 
monastic  establishments  of  the  Roman  Catholics  arc  not  the 
least  prominent.  The  history  of  JSlonachism,  from  (he  days 
of  Paul,  the  Egyptian,  who  leads  tlie  van  in  the  army  of  the 
monastic  saints  as  the  first  Christian  hermit — to  sny  nothing 
of  the  Essenes  and  Thorapeutes,  the  rocluses,  of  Palestine 
and  Egypt  before  the  commencement  of  the  Christian  era — is 
rich  in  instruction  and  of  absorbing  interest.  The  first  mo- 
nastery  was  founded,  according  to  the  Romish  legend — and 
the  tale  is  a  beautiful  one — in  the  deserts  of  Upper  Egypt,  by 
the  aforementioned  Paul,  in  connexion  with  St.  Anthony,  in 
the  year  303;  or  thereabout.  Female  monasteries,  or  con- 
vents of  nuns,  were  instituted  about  a  century  afterward.  Both 
have  been  at  times  eminently  useful,  and  both  at  other  times 
eminently  corrupt.  They  have  served  as  places  of  refuge, 
from  persecution,  of  retirement  and  repose  j'rom  the  cares  of 
the  world,  of  religious  study  and  meditation,  and  as  schools 
of  learning,  benevolence  nnd  virtue. — They  have  also  at  times 
degenerated  into  dens  of  debauchery  and  crime.  Still,  when 
wo  consider  that  it  was  to  them,  for  many  centuries,  that  the 
world  was  indebted  for  all  it  knew  of  letters  and  religion,  and 
that  they  were  the  abodes  of  such  meek  and  holy  spirits  as 
Bede  and  Thomas-a-Kempis,  it  is  not  to  be  taken  for  granted 
by  every  opponent  of  the  Roman  See,  that  a  monastery  must 
necessarily  be  the  vestibule  of  hell,  and  every  recluse  worthy 
only  of  such  an  abode. 

With  auch  views  and  impressions,  I  was  of  course  glad  of 


=  11 


1^' 


>pportuni(y  of  looki 


itablishment  of 


ikia  defcrip* 
tion  with  my  own  eyes  ;  and  having  irom  my  youth  heard  much 
of  the  Christian  monasticism  of  Lower  Canada,  it  may  well  bo 
conjectured  that  the  excitement  recently  enkindled  in  the 
United  States  against  the  priests  and  nuns  of  Montreal,  bv 
the  startling  publications  of  Maria  Monk,  in  connexion  with 
the  writings  of  several  Protestant  controversialists  of  acknowl- 
edged talents  and  piety,  had  not  abated  the  desire,  which  under 
any  circumstances,  I  should  have  felt  to  visit  their  communi- 
ties.— Of  the  verity  or  falsehood  of  the  truly  "  Awful  Disclo- 
sures" of  Maria  Monk,  I  had  formed  no  very  definite  opinion 
previous  to  entering  the  province.  Indeed,  I  had  not  read 
the  book  in  any  other  manner  than  by  an  occasional  and  very 
cursory  glance  at  a  few  of  its  pages.  Still  I  had  read  nliuch 
from  and  of  it,  and  heard  much  more  ;  and  I  am  constrained 
in  candor  to  confess  that,  although  at  times  a  partial  believer, 
and  at  others  a  sceptic  as  to  the  truth  of  her  fearful  revelations 
of  hypocrisy,  lust,  and  blood,  I  was  rather  a  believer  than 
otherwise,  during  the  earlier  part  of  my  Canadian  visit. 

True  the  tale  was  most  revolting,  and  it  was  not  a  little 
difficult  to  bring  the  mind  to  believe  it  possible,  that  even  the 
most  hardened  of  our  species  could  be  guilty,  from  year  to 
year,  if  the  frightful  abominations  charged  by  Miss  Monk 
upon  the  priests  and  nuns  of  Montreal — much  less  that  the 
professed  ministers  of  the  Christian  religion,-- of  any  faith, — 
however  widely  they  might  have  strayed  from  the  truth,  or 
however  deeply  been  plunged  in  error,  or  however  much  in- 
volved in  the  gross  and  mystical  fanaticism  of  the  '*  scarlet 
lady" — could  have  been  guilty  of  the  horrible  successions  of 
crimes  imputed  to  them.  Still  more  difficult  was  it  to  sup- 
pose it  possible  that  woman,  gentle  woman — who  had  sought 
in  solitude  a  protection  against  the  corruptions  and  tempta- 
tions of  the  world — assuming  a  name  indicative  of  purity  as 
well  as  its  garb — could  resign  themselves  by  whole  communi- 
ties, as  the  ready  and  willing  instruments  of  lust  and  murder. 
But  on  the  other  hand,  my  prejudices  against  iho  Catholic 
taith  were  strong.  Its  monstrous  corruptions  in  the  old  world 
were  notorious.  The  work  of  Maria  Monk  I  knew  to  hav« 
been  written  by  one  of  our  most  estimable  citizens — a  gentle- 
man of  character  and  approved  christian  piety — who  had  taken 
every  pains,  as  he  supposed,  to  record  the  exact  truth.  I 
knew  from  his  own  lips,  that  he  was  a  religious  believer  of  all 
that  he  had  thus  written.  I  knew  that  other  intelligent  and 
pious  gentlemen,  had,  by  repeated  examinations,  endeavored 
to  detect  the  girl's  imposture,  if  impostor  she  was,  without 
success.  I  knew  that  these  men,  and  multitudes  of  others, 
were  firm  believers  in  the  truth  of  her  revelations.  I  had 
heard  that  emissaries  from  the  priests  were  prowling  about 
Iiew-Yock|  and  that  several  attempts  had  beea  made  to  spirit 


^  w>  J  nf~** 


ard  much 
\y  well  bo 
>U  in  the 
ntreai,  by 
xion  with 
acknowl- 
ioh  under 
ommuni- 
1  Didclo- 
e  opinion 
not  read 
and  very 
tad  rtiuch 
nstrained 
believer, 
velations 
iver  than 
it. 

ot  a  little 
even  the 
n  year  to 
SB  Monk 
that  the 
f  faith,— 
truth,  or 
much  in- 
**  scarlet 
Bsiuns  of 
t  to  sup« 
id  sought 
I  tempta- 
H>urity  as 
>ni  muni- 
murder. 
Jatholic 
Id  world 
to  huv« 
gentle- 
ad  taken 
ruth.     I 
er  of  all 
tent  and 
eavored 
without 
'  othera, 
I  bad 
ig  about 
to  apirit 


the  poor  girl  awny,  and  bring  her  once  more  forcibly  within 
their  power  at  Montreal.  I  had  heard  of  her  repeated  ofl'era  to 
go  to  Montreal  and  establish  the  truth  of  her  disclosures  by 
examinations—  which  propositions  had  been  refused.  I  had 
been  taught  to  regard  the  mysterious  silence  of  the  accused 
aa  ominous  of  evil,  and  had  been  assured  by  numerout 
publications,  that  circumstances  numerous  and  strong  had 
transpired,  going  to  show  that  extensive  alterations  within  the 
nunnery,  had  been  made,  for  the  purpose  of  preventing  detec- 
tion, should  an  examination  ever  take  place.  A  variety  of 
incidents),  moreover  had  been  communic-ited  to  me  us  facts, 
while  on  the  way  to  Montreal,  which  had  maleriully  strength- 
ened the  impression  upon  my  mind,  arisin<j  from  this  forniida< 
ble  array  of  circumstances,  until  I  had  almost  arrived  ut  the 
belief,  that,  after  nil,  there  mi^ht  bo  more  of  truth  in  the  tale 
than  I  had  been  willing  at  first  to  admit. 

I  soon  ascertained,  that  such  was  not  the  opinion  of 
the  citizens  of  Montreal.  I  did  not  indeed  expect  to  find  the 
people  generally,  or  even  the  half  of  them,  believers  in  thtt 
entire  relations  of  the  fair  fugitive.  But  having  been  assur- 
ed, from  time  to  time,  by  the  publishing  friends  of  the  inter- 
esting victim,  that  her  work  was  causing  some  excitement  in 
that  capital,  und  that  the  army  of  believers  would  be  vastly 
greater  but  for  the  terror  in  which  the  protestants  were  held 
by  the  Romanists,  nnd  the  danger  they  would  incur  by  the  ex- 
pression of  any  opinion  unfavorable  to  them,  I  did  expect  to 
meet  now  and  then  with  some  one  courageous  believer,  with 
a  multitude  of  others,  stealing  timidly  along,  looking  unuttera- 
ble things,  nnd  shivering  and  shuddering  at  every  apparition 
of  cowl  and  cassock  as  though  expecting  every  moment  to  be 
seized  and  pulled  to  peices.  But  it  was  not  so.  Such  a  city 
•f  skeptics, in  all  that  partained  to  the  disclosures  of  the  wrong- 
ed fair  one,  was  never  before  seen.  Nay,  more,  so  perfect- 
ly abs'  i  I  and  rediculous  did  (he  people  with  one  accord  con- 
sider tno  whole  affair,  that  thi^y  seemed  to  look  upon  the  in- 
telligent denizens  of  the  United  States,  as  labouring  under  a 
widely  extended  monomania  !  There  was  but  one  voice  upon 
the  subject  — protestants  and  catholics — those  of  every  and  all 
denominations,  born  and  bred  upon  the  spot — men  of  intelli- 
gence and  unquestionable  piety — those  who  hud  passed  thtt 
open  gates  of  the  Hotel  I)ieu,  or  looked  from  their  case- 
ments over  its  frowning  walls  every  day  of  their  lives — weM 
all  stubborn  unbelievers  ; — and  I  may  add  in  this  place,  ia^ 
stead  of  elsewhere,  that  I  was  able  to  hear  of  but  two  believ- 
ers in  the  "  Awful  Disclosures"  in  Montreal,  one  of  whom,  as 
will  bo  seen  in  the  sequel,  was  evidently  afraid  to  visit  tbs 
nunnery,  lest  he  should  be  forced  by  actual  demonstration  to 
change  his  opinion. 

Btit  the  fact  that  the  whole  town  r^id  province  disbelieved 


1 1 


h 

'I  ■ 
\  ■ 


:   I 


"■V* 


I 


(he  narrative  ofMias  Monk,  wan  no  good  reason  why  I  should 
not  (like  n  survey  of  tho  ct*tublit)hniL<nt,  in  >vliich  the  rrportod 
enormities  were  occuriiig,  nioro  cspucinlly  ns  those  were  at 
lea^t  t\vi(  0  thu  number  on  tho  Yankee  side  of  the  line,  (that  is 
to  he)  who  arc  most  devout  hoHevers  of  tho  whoUi.  And 
as  for  any  wuppcscd  a(lvanta{,'eH  dtrivcd  hy  the  former  from 
their  near  location  and  acquaintanceHliip  with  tlie  nccnscd,  did 
not  tho  increase  of  numberH  on  the  other  side,  luinj;  the 
bahuxe  to  a  equapoise  ?  l*erhaps  not :  hut  I  was  determined 
in  any  event  to  visit  the  Calholie  ewlablishir.ents  ^f  iierally, 
and  look  as  closely  into  the  (eaifid  Hotel  Dieu  as  the  guardi- 
ans of  its  portals  would  allow  mo  to  come. 

The  frieud-i  accompanying;  us  were  A.  Frothingh  im,  Esq. 
President  of  tlie  Bank  of  IVhtutreal,  ami  Iliuirau  Fisher,  Fsq. 
to  whose  kind  attentions  wc  were  greatly  in<leltleil.  Our  first 
visit  was  to  the  Hospital  (icucrnl  tics  Sauvs  Grists,  a  convent 
of  the  Crey  Sistijrs — an  instilnlion  founded  in  1750,  by  3Iad- 
amt>  do  Vouville,  as  a  refuge  fur  the  infirm  poor,  invaliils,  and 
tho  destitute  aged.  It  occupies  a  space  of  1)78  feet  along  the. 
little  river  St.  Pierre,  by  neaily  tho  same  «l(>pth,  rontiiining  a 
conv.'iit  |\)r  th(!  residence  of  the  nuns,  a  depot,  ample  wards 
for  both  se.X(.'s,  all  the  re(pu.',ile  oflices  lor  su<  h  an  extensive  es- 
tablishment, and  a  detached  building,  for  persons  laboring  un- 
der diseases  of  the  mind.  Tiiis  convent  is  governed  by  n  su- 
perior and  thirty. four  .sisters.  We  passed  through  the  wards, 
which  were  spacious,  and  well  airod  and  kepi.  Hotli  depart- 
ments were  fdled  with  tho  lame,  the  ludt  and  the  blind,  and 
every  species  of  decrepitude,  and  among  the  .suhjecis  were 
many  who  were  very  old.  One  of  these,  with  whom  wo  con- 
versed, had  not  oidy  been  many  years  nn  innnUe,  but  was 
choerful  at  the  ndv.uioed  age  of  one  hundred  and  four  years — 
having  bceti  born  in  the  same  year  with  Waj-hington.  Tho 
eyes  of  (he  old  cent«!neriau  brightened  at  the  recollection,  ns 
though  it  was  no  mean  honor  even  to  have  drawn  his  first  breath 
in  the  sanu)  year  with  such  a  man.  It  was  a  gratifying  spec- 
tacle to  observe  tho  kindness  and  attention  received  by  ihese 
aged  aud  infirm  fellow-beings  whom  misforluno  hud  thrown 
upon  the  benevolence  of  this  comnujtiity,  and  however  much 
we  may  dej)!ore  the  errors  of  their  religious  faith,  wc  coidd  not 
but  admire  their  zeal  in  alleviating  tho  distresses  of  their  fel- 
low-men. 

From  these  apartments  we  were  next  led  into  the  rooms  oc- 
cupied as  an  orphan  asylum,  or  foundling  hospital,  I  am  not 
certain  which — perhaps  both.  In  the  first  division  we  found 
some  twenty  or  thirty  boys  of  ten  years  and  under,  and  a  like 
number  of  girls  in  the  second.  The/  were  all  cheerfuli  but 
much  more  vivacitjr  was  exhibited  in  the  second-— charactaris- 
tic  alike  of  Females  and  the  French.  In  each  of  the  apart- 
ments  visited,  articles  of  fancj  needle-work  were  producedf 
■ales  of  which  are  made  for  the  benefit  of  the  institution. 


,  ns 

breath 

spec- 

Shcse 

hrown 

much 

lid  not 

ir  fel- 


Wo  ontorod  iho  Grey  Nunnery  nl  11  o'clock— jiist  as  the 
sisters  lind  jjotio  to  dinner.  THm  nuns,  and  the  |)ri(sts  nt  the 
•ominary,  dino  nt  the  sumo  hour.  They  take  u  li^'hl  breakfast 
Qt  half  piist  4,  coiiHisting  of  u  picro  of  bread  and  a  ctip  of 
toa ;  dine  at  11,  and  aru  Hunininned  to  (ho  chitpd  for  their 
mid-day  devotions  at  12.  VVitb  the  rinj»in};  of  the  Ixdl,  wc,  by 
request,  wero  eondiicted  to  the  cbiipcl  ;  \vh<'re  lh(!  nuns  having 
entered  first,  were  already  upon  their  knees  in  a  eiiliiimi  oflwo 
deep  in  lh(!  e(!ntre  aisle.  'I'hey  tub!  their  bead-^,  and  repented 
their  prayers  in  cljorns,  and  having  concluded,  ro.-<e  at  a  signal 
from  the  superior  in  (he  fjaMcry,  ulieeb-d  round  to  lb'-  rij;bl  and 
left,  and  reinrne«l — searee  rai>in;i  (heir  eyes  from  (Ik;  |)obshed 
floor.     They  \v(Me  ponerally  niiddle-iif^ed  or  youn;;  women. 

The  hal)i(  of  the  j^rey  si-teis  cofisists  of  a  dress  of"  drab 
bomba/ine.  n)a(le  in  lh(!  fashion  of  oiu'  <^nnker  liiciids,  only 
that  Ihf!  sleeve"!  are  lonj?  and  ample,  a  In  liisln^i),  (ertniriuted 
with  broad  <Md]s  of  (he  same  material.  They  wear  a  black 
Italian  erape  cap,  with  a  plain  border  of  crape,  lined  with 
black  silk.  'I'his  cap  (oo,  is  alter  the  Quaker  f,isbi<jn.  AVhiio 
in  (ho  nmwiory  I  observed  (hat  the  skirt  is  always  tmned  ii[), 
and  fastened  ninhu  (he  waist  behind  wi(h  a  hook  and  i  ye.  ^Vo 
8n\v  them  af(erwavd  goiiitr  iti  piocessjon  to  (ho  cathedral,  and 
then  the  skirts,  I  believe,  were  not  turned  np — but  am  not  quite 
certain. 

The  chap(d  is  a  very  neat  apartment,  well  supplied  wi(h  pic- 
tures, none  of  which  are  ^ood,  and  for  the  most  pa;t  very  bad. 
The  altar  was  richly  liilded,  and  adorned  with  vases  of  various 
freshly  gathered  (lowers.  Amon';  (!»:;  relics  displayed,  was  a 
fragment  cut  from  the  veil  of  the  sacred  statue  of  (he  Virgin, 
it  wo  do  not  mis-recoIIect — of  very  gr(>at  anti(piity.  It  \% 
carefully  framed  within  ylass,  together  with  the  cerlilicatcs  of 
authenticity. 

From  the  Grey  Nunnery  we  drove  to  the  terrible  theatre  of 
the  «•  Awfid  Disclosures"-  the  Hotel  Dieti  i(sclf— the  portals 
of  whi<'h,  from  (he  publications  of  Maria  Moidi  and  her  colla- 
borntentH  in  this  city,  wo  might  very  well  have  expected  to  find 
guarded  by  *'  gorjjons,  hydras  and  chimeras  dire."  Rut  it  was 
not  80.  The  broad  and  ample  gate-way  into  the  yard  was  wido 
open,  as  our  companions  assured  ns  it  always  had  been  during 
the  day-timo,  these  thirty  years — and  how  much  longer  thcr 
could  not  tell.  A  very  civil-spoken  man  met  us  at  the  door 
and  conducted  us  into  the  hospital.  This  now  so  celelebrated 
institution  fronts  upon  St.  Paul's  street  on  the  cast,  extending 
along  that  street  324  English  feet,  by  468  feet  in  depth  on  St. 
Joseph's  street,  from  which  latter  we  entered.  I'he  whole 
buildings  belonging  to,  and  connected  with  the  establishment, 
include  the  hospital,  the  convent  or  cloister,  a  chapel,  kitchsn, 
bake-house,  stables  and  cemetr/.  A  large  garden  is  likewise 
fttached.    It  was  founded  in  1694,  by  the  Duchess  of  Bouil- 


t 


t 


I  i 


lon^ai  a  ho»pital  for  the  reception  of  the  sick  and  diiCMed 
poor  of  both  soxoii,  and  without  regard  tu  religious  creeds,  and 
18  conducted  by  n  superior  and  thirty-six  nuns.  Its  funds  are 
chiefly  derived  from  some  landed  estate  belonging  to  it,  but 
tho  incoino  is  scurcely  sufliciont,  and  contributions  from  other 
lourcoM,  together  with  their  own  industry,  help  to  augment 
their  mcnn^  of  supply. 

Notwithstanding  tho  fiivorohle  appearance  of  nil  that  we 
■aw,  niid  tho  univorsal  skopticiHrn  betoru  spoken  of  existing 
among  the  poopio,  1  cannot  deny  the  fact  that  the  publications 
already  reRrred  to,  hud  in  some  d<>groe  prijudiccd  our  minds 
against  (li ;  inmutus,  and  rendered  us  Huspicioiin  of  almost 
every  thin<^  wo  were  to  see.  On  entering  tho  first  ward,  Mr. 
F.  enquired  of  iho  nurso  in  attendance  for  Mism  Rcckwith, 
ono  of  the  sisterhood  who  speaks  En^li^li,  and  with  whom  he 
was  ncquaiiited.  After  a  few  moments  hIio  cnme,  and  wo 
were  introduced  to  her.  Sho  received  us  with  great  kindness. 
Her  wholo  appearance  is  (utremely  agreeable.  She  conduc- 
ted us  to  the  chapel,  through  both  wards  ol  tho  hospital, 
and  through  the  apothecary's  apartment.  Every  variety  of  dis- 
ease findb  alleviation  here — without  any  questions  being  nskcd 
as  to  sect,  or  country.  If  laboring  under  a  disease  which  is 
not  contngious  tho  patient  is  received  on  application,  and 
when  restored,  is  dismissed  without  any  compensation,  or  any 
questions  being  asked.  The  beds  and  rooms  were  in  perfect 
order,  each  bearing  the  numo  of  a  Catholic  saint — a  malo,  if 
in  the  men's  apartment,  and  a  female  in  that  of  tho  women. 
Tho  sirk  lay  quietly  in  their  rer^pectivo  beds,  neatly  curtained 
— looking  as  if  the  hand  of  friendship  and  female  sympathy 
had    smoothed  and  arranged  them.     All  was  still  and  serene. 

Can  these  walls,  tl.ought  1,  witness  so  much  self-denial  and 
patience,  so  much  toil  and  watching,  without  expectation  of 
feo  or  reward  on  earth,  and  yet  the  abode  of  vice  and  prnflga- 
cy  which  it  is  u  shame  even  to  name  ?  Is  it  possible  for  be- 
in<T8  depraved  as  these  huvo  been  reported  to  be,  to  find  that 
pleasure  in  doing  good,  which  sustains  them  amidst  all  their 
privations  ?  Is  it  probable — is  it  at  all  reconcilable — that  per- 
sons living  in  habits  of  criminal  sensuality,  can  bo  found  bo 
disciplinod  in  spirit  as  to  attend  upon  cases  of  disease  most 
revolting,  and  for  that  class  of  society  too  which  exhibits  dis- 
ease in  its  noost  revolting  features,  because  its  subjects  are 
destitute  of  refined  feelings,  and  that  delicacy  which  conceals 
as  much  as  possible  what  has  a  tendency  to  disgust  orofTeend 
And  this  course  of  conduct  is  not  ao  occasional  gush  of  feel- 
ing exhibited  before  tho  world  for  effect,  but  is  undertaken  as 
a  permanent  employment,  from  which  sickness  or  death  onlj 
can  release  them.  As  thesa  thoughts  passed  through  my 
mind,  Mr.  F.  mentioned  Miss  Monk's  book  to  Miss  Beck- 
with,  and  asked  her  if  she  knew  the  lady  who  had  written  it. 


She  replied  that  the  repulod  lady  never  had  been  there  at  a 
Du<^,  (hough  it  waa  pottMible  hHo  might  have  been  in  the  hospi- 


tal, an  the 


>t' 


red.     She  said 


putientii  were  never 
she  hnd  not  road  the  book,  though  she  had  heard  of  many 
things  coiitoined  in  it.  Shu  iinid  Hhu  hod  hcmoirtukon  the 
veil  ten  years  since,  and  during  thut  time  had  never  heord  of 
Maria  .Monk.  Shu  thun  obnerved  that  within  the  hint  few 
oiontha  strangers  visiting  the  huMpital  hnd  often  enquired  if 
there  was  ii  nun  with  thum  nanicd  June  Uuy.  Shu  told  ihcm 
ahe  nevur  hud  heard  of  onu  by  thut  nnmo  since  she  had  been 
there,  but  the  question  boing  so  often  put,  at  length  excited 
Momo  curiosity,  and  induced  bur  to  ask  tbu  superior,  who  told 
her  she  had  never  been  there,  ond  thoy  ihtn  bolbougbt  thcm- 
aelves  of  making  an  enquiry  of  Mrs.  M'Duriell,  who  kept 
the  Mugdalen  Asylum.  Mrs.  M'D.  imtncdiutely  replied 
tliat  Junu  Kay  was  then  in  her  establishment,  and  at  thesamo 
time  mentioned  Maria  Monk  as  having  been  there  also. 

It  wus  then  for  the  tirsttimu,  and  Irom  Mrs.  McUonell,  if! 
understood  Miss  Heckwiib  correctly,  that  they  reculv(.tl  intcl- 
ligoncu  of  the  *'  Awful  Disclosures."  In  continuation,  she 
remarked,  that  she  had  never  read  the  book  herself;  but  from 
what  sho  hnd  <ioard  of  its  contents,  she  should  suppo.su  that 
no  one  could  write  such  details,  unless  very  depraved  ;  and  a 
pure-minded  person  could  not  have  imagined  them.  When  it 
was  told  her  that  the  book  wa.s  believed  by  many  in  the  states, 
sho  said  "the  Protestants  hatu  the  Catholics  so  much,  that 
they  are  willing  to  believe  every  thing  said  ogainst  them. 
*' Hut,"  shu  added,  *' how  can  they  believe  such  statements, 
as  these  disclo.surc8,  when  Mr.  Perkins  has  examined  the 
cloister, — for  he  is  a  very  decided  Protestant,  and  in  no  wise 
favorable  to  our  religion."  Still,  on  asking  her  if  wo  could 
be  permitted  to  extend  our  observations  to  other  apartments, 
she  said  no.  This  nunnery  was  a  cloister ;  and  neither  priest 
nor  layman,  man  or  woman,  was  permitted  to  enter  further, 
unless  [>y  an  express  order  from  the  Hishop.  Thus  in  part 
was  the  New- York  story  confirmed,  that  no  examination  of  the 
nunnery  itself — its  heavy  iron  doors  and  dark  passages — its 
rooms  of  prostitution  and  vaults  of  gloom — would  be  allowed. 

In  closing  this  account  of  our  first  visit,  however,  I  must 
bo  permitted  en  paa$anl  to  note  the  fine  condition  and  beauti- 
ful order  of  the  apothecary's  apartment.  It  is  extensive  and 
arranged  in  a  manner  that  would  gladden  the  sight  of  tho  New 
York  college  of  Pharmacy.  Tho  jars  and  gallipots  aru  all  of 
the  ancient  translucent  drak-blue  and  white  china,  of  the  same 
size  and  pattern,  rendering  the  shelves  perfectly  uniform. 
Two  of  the  nuns  are  in  constant  attendance  on  the  establish- 
ment, manufacturing  and  preparing  medicine.  They  also  cup 
and  bleed.  The  physician  in  attendance  merely  prescribes, 
and  they  execute  his  orders.     Two  of  the  nuns  are  also  in 


I'V 


10 


constant  attendance  upon  each  ward  of  the  hospital,  nighi  .jnd 
day  ;  they  tike  their  turns,  and  in  a  community  of  only  thirty- 
six,  the  ofca.sion  does  not  seldom  come  round. 

Thus  (Muleil  our  first  visit  to  the  Hotel  Dieu — having  seen 
nothin.Tof"  IMasks,  hatchets,  racks,  and  vipers,"  nor  experi- 
enced any  fliinic  to  remind  us  of  the  sayiclinn  officiam,  of  Pope 
Innoceir.  III.,  or  of  Toripiemada  Still  we  haJ  bcon  permit- 
ted to  proc'cod  no  farther  than  the  hospitals — all  beyond  was 
.secret,  silent  and  mysterious.  Wo  had  heard  no  groans  ;  but 
some  ol'ilii)  believers  in  Maria  Monk  may  suppose  that  half  a 
dozen  infants  mij^ht  have  been  gently  smothered,  diu'ing  our 
visiit,  and  some  pretty  rebellious  nu  « trodden  to  death  between 
two  leatnei-beds,  for  all  that.  Nevertheless,  we  took  our  do- 
parline,  and  proceeded  next  to  the  Cathedral,  standing  a  few 
rods  fiiithcr  to  the  north,  on  the  left  of  St.  Joseph  street,  front- 
ing upon  Notre  Daine-stieet,  and  directly  upon  a  diagonal 
li;io  '"uni  the  Hotel  l)ien  to  the  Seminaiy  of  the  Priests — 
liio  Cathediiil  well  nijili  tilling  the  intermediate  block  be- 
tween Uu-iw.  The  Cathedral  is  a  new  edifice,  and  is  in 
some  rosp'.M-ls  tli.;  most  splendid  tenii)l(j  in  the  new  world, 
and  as  s  nd  a  late  foiei^n  traveller,  only  surpassed  by  the  aid 
in  interior  grandenr.  lis  length  is  2'25  feet,  and  its  breadth 
234.  It  was  coniineneed  in  lS2i,  liti'shed  in  1829,  and  dedi- 
eated  to  i!-.i!  Virgin  Mary.  The  height  of  its  walls  is  112  feet. 
Tliearcliiteelnre  is  of  the  rich  Gothic  of  the  13th  century.  It 
has  six  massive  towers,  between  which  is  a  promenade  along 
the  roof  25  feet  wide,  elevated  112  feet.  There  are  seven 
altars,  an  I  flu;  ea-t  window  behind  the  grand  altar  is  70  feet 
high,  by  iii  feet  broad.  Tlie  other  windows  are  36  feet  by  10. 
Iti  s  surrounded  by  a  line  terrace,  the  chime  of  bells, the  clocks, 
altars,  c^c,  are  comparatively  rich.  IJnt  as  a  whole,  the  inte- 
rior is  not  eipial  to  the  exterior,  nor  by  any  means  ecjual  in 
point  of  taste,  sph^ndor  of  decoration,  and  beauty  of  its  paint- 
ing'j  to  t!ie  Oathedral  ol  Baltimore.  This  structure  is  larger, 
however,  than  ih  it  of  IJaltiniore,  being  sufficiently  capacious 
to  aecomntodale  12,000  persons. 

My  reasons  for  the  particularity  ol  this  description  in  this 
place,  will  a|)pear  in  the  sequel.  ]  attended  high  mass  in  this 
noble  edifice  on  two  Sabbath  mornings,  before  the  commence- 
ment of  worship  in  the  proteatant  churches.  On  both  occa- 
sions the  Cathedral  was  tilled  l»y  as  attentive  and  well  ordered 
a  congrej;ation  as  I  have  ever  seen  in  New- York.  The  organ 
is  too°snmll  for  the  place  ;  but  aided  by  other  instruments, 
and  it  full  choir  around  the  great  altar,  the  music  was  as  deep, 
rich  and  solemn  as  the  big  '«  bass  of  the  ocean." 

The  seminary  of  St.  Sulpice,  situated  upon  the  corner  of 
Francais-Xnvier  and  Notre  Dame  streets,  opening  upon  the 
latter,  and  directly  west  of  the  cathedral,  was  next  visited. 
This  is  the  general  residence  of  the  priests  of  Montreal— 


11 


ious 

this 

this 

nce- 

Lcca- 

Ured 

[rgan 

^eep, 

|er  of 

sited, 
jal— 


whoso  practice  it  is,  according  to  Maria  Monk,  to  be  continu' 
ally  visiting  the  Hotel  Dieu,  for  purposes  of  seduction  and 
murder,  by  a  subterranean  passage,  which,  if  it  exists,  must 
lead  directly  under  the  stupendous  pile  of  the  cathedral,  just 
described.  This  seminary  extends  342  feet  upon  Notre 
Dame-strcet,  and  44?)  on  Fiancais-Xavier  street.  It  was 
founded  in  1G;")7,  by  the  Abbe  Qnetus,  who  was  sent  out  by 
the  sciniimiy  of  St.  Sulpice,  in  Paris.  Tho  orii;;inal  object^of 
the  insiiliition  was  the  education  of  youth,  throiijfh  all  depart- 
menlrt,  including  the  higher  branchen  of  philosophy  and  the 
mathematics,  it  has  an  able  superior,  and  professors  of  emi- 
nence in  the  difleretit  science.-^,  wh'j  are  said  to  pni>uo  a  judi- 
cious plan  of  general  instruction.  In  order  to  extend  ^its 
useful nc^-?,  a  new  college  has  been  erected  by  the  seminary 
in  the  iiecollecl  :uiburbs — a  large  and  handsome  stiiicturc. 

I  was  introduced  at  the 'seminary,  to  many  of  the  clergy, 
and  some  ol"  the  dignitaries  of  the  chnrch — umotjg  whom 
were  the.  lord  IJishop  M'Donald,  of  Upper  Canada,  and  tho 
bishop  of  iliul  Uivi-r,  both  b  inf:  on  a  vi.*it  to  th*  lower  pro- 
vince. I  was  also  intiodiK  ed  to  Father  llichard  ,  who  tigtires 
in  the  "  Awful  i^isclostires"  as  one  of  the  most  humane  of 
till?  [iiiests  at  th(!  murder  ol'  tho  nun  St.  Francis.  Father 
Riihiuds  is  a  .shoit  lUt  pfiv-oniigc,  has  a  mild  blue  eye,  and  is 
cxrecdiiigly  r.iii  s|>okt;n.  Ih;  was  once  a  nu  thodi-t  minister 
in  Virgi.iii ;  but  toncciving  tho  project  of  cwnverting  tho  ca- 
iholi.;  cli.-rgy  of  Montreal  to  (!ie  true  failh,  ho  proreeded  thi- 
ther for  that  puipose.  IJiit  ii\  the  end  he  was  as  bacliy  off  as 
the  cnuiit  O'lleilly,  who  weal  t)  inkv.  AlguMs — Abiitsrs  took 
him  ;  l>t.<!i<)p  M'D.  is  u  Scotch  gentleman  ol  the  old  School — 
ailabl-',  inlrlli'j;ont,  and,  lor  a  catholic;,  not  iiituleranf.  He  al- 
Iow.TiIii.-;  people  to  read  the  l}d)le,  ami  gives  aw;iy  all  tluit  he 
I'aii  obliiia  fur  (h.it  object. 

Tho  sid'ject  of  Maria  Moniv's  '•  awt'id  disclosures"  having 
bocr.  iotrt.'diictd  at  the  Si;minary,  those  of  the  (.'lergv  who 
t'poke  llngli.sh,  entered  iVcely  upon  it,  withoMt  he.-itatioti,  imd 
with  an  air  of  conscious  inr.ocfnce.  ]laviii<r  iiiliii.alcd  that 
there  was  noliiing  of,  m,  or  about,  the  Hotel  Dieu,  respeetini:; 
which  tiny  desired  concealment,  the  idea  fnst  seriottslv  occur- 
ed  to  mo  of  piUtiug  their  sincerity,  and  that  ot  the  turns,  to  the 
test,  by  applying  for  j)ermis.-<ion  to  visit  the  cloisters,  and  make 
a  thorough  scrutiny.  They  re])eat»  d  what  had  been  said  to  us 
by  the  mu»s,  that  no  person  couhl  he  permilttd  to  enter  the 
cloisters  without  an  order  from  the  Bisiiop  of  Montreal,  who 
was  then  absent  from  the  city,  liut  iJisliop  M'Donald  and 
Father  Kicharda  entered  at  once  into  my  views,  and  promised 
their  good  olliees  in  obtaining  the  necessary  order,  as  soon  ac 
tho  Bishop  should  return.  1  assured  them  that  my  only  do- 
sire  was  to  arrive  at  tho  truth,  and  that  if  I  entered  upon  tho 
dut^,  1  should  not  be  satisfied  without  making  thorough  work 
of  It.     And  thus  I  left  them. 


i 


4     .- 


It 


\ 


The  more  I  reflected  upon  the  subject,  the  more  evident 
did  it  seem,  that  the  cause  of  truth  and  justice  required  at  my 
hands  an  investigation  of  this  kind,  placed  Vere  as  I  was, 
without  any  previous  design  of  makin ,;  h  a  visit,  and 
wholly  uncommitted,  and  unconnected  v  m  any  of  the 
parties  to  the  controversy.  If  the  priests  and  the  nurs 
were  actually  guilty  of  the  fearful  practices  imputed  to  them, 
the  truth  should  be  known.  If,  on  the  contrary,  tlie  horrible 
stories  respecting  them  were  not  true,  the  slander,  whether 
originating  in  the  malice  of  a  wicked  woman,  or  the  distem- 
pered imagination  of  one  who  added  insanity  to  her  frailty, 
should  be  arrested.  In  any  event,  the  Catholics  were  as 
much  entitled  to  justice,  as  any  other  sect  of  Christians ;  and 
I  could  not  but  hope  and  believe,  that  in  the  event  of  being 
allowed  to  make  a  thorough  investigation  of  the  premises,  I 
could  not  only  arrive  at  a  satisfactory  conclusion  myself,  but 
should  be  able  to  aid  in  giving  the  public  mind  in  my  own 
country  a  proper  direction.  Should  it  in  the  end  appear 
that  Maria  Monk  had  told  the  truth,  no  punishment  over 
invented  by  the  I/oli/  Inquisition  would  be  too  severe  for 
such  lustful,  bloody,  and  hypocritical  villainy.  But,  on  the 
other  haiul,  should  it  be  apparent  that  they  were  the  victims 
of  calumny,  it  was  high  time  that  the  crusade  should  be  at 
an  end — since  1  could  perceive  nothing  more  commendable 
in  Protestant,  than  in  Catholic  persecution.  Entertaining 
and  pondering  these  views,?  sought  and  obtained  an  interview 
with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Perkins,  of  the  American  Pn-sbyterian 
church — the  able,  zealous,  and  pious  successor  of  the  la- 
mented CuRiSTMAS  in  that  city — and  a  son  of  the  lato  Hon. 
Enoch  Perkins,  of  Hartford — Mr.  P.  warndy  approved  of 
my  design.  He  had  himself  visited  the  cloister,  as  one  of 
a  committee,  in  July,  and  was  smarting  under  the  cruel 
attacks  of  the  friends  of  Maria  Monk  iii  this  city.  He  was 
therefore  exceedingly  anxious  tliat  I  should  have  testimony 
of  mv  own  senses,  to  the  corectness  of  the  conclusions  at 
which  he  had  arrived,  or  discover  to  him  his  error,  if  he  was 
wrong.  He  did  not  hesitate  to  express  io  me  his  perfect 
conviction,  however,  that  an  examination  woidd  bring  me  to 
the  unshaken  conclusion,  that,  however  bad  ti  e  Catholics 
may  be  in  other  respects,  or  in  other  coiuitries,  they  are  en- 
tirely innocent  in  this  matter.  There  was  no  mistake  in  his 
opinion  upon  the  subject.  He  had  reside*!  there  several 
years — was  well  accjuainted  with  the  general  character  of 
the  priests  and  the  people — as  also  by  common  fame  with 
the  character  of  Maria  Monk — and  he  did  not  hesitate  to 
pronounce  her  disclosures  the  most  entire  and  atrocious  col- 
lection of  lies  that  could  bo  conceived.  Thus  believing' — 
Day,  thus  knowing — he  had  endeavoured  as  strongly  as  he 
ooidd  by  letters  to  the  writer  of  Maria's  book,  to  prevent  Ita 


13 


publication.     He  had  admonished  Mm  of  the  falsity  of  her 
tales  and  implored  him  to  desist. 

Other  gentlemen,  of  different  churches,  were  also  con- 
sulted. Their  opinions  were  the  same,  both  as  it  respected 
the  character  of  the  disclosures,  and  the  propriety  of  my 
proposed  examination.  The  result  was,  that  I  rcsolv  ed  on 
making  the  attempt ;  and  returning  to  Montreal  from  Que- 
bec on  Saturday  morning  the  23d,  ultimo,  I  was  informed 
that  an  order  for  the  admission  of  Frothingham,  Mrs. 
Stone,  and  myswlf  into  the  cloister,  had  been  issued  by  the 
bishop  on  the  preceding  day.  A  gentleman  from  Rich- 
mond, (Va.)  a  Mr.  Shepard,  with  his  lady,  having  under- 
stood our  design,  obtained  an  order  through  a  friend,  on 
that  morning,  to  be  permitted  to  accompany  us  in  the  visita- 
tion. 4 

The  editors  of  the   Montreal    Gazette  and  the  Ami  du 
Pevple  in  calling  for  the  present  narrative,  have  both  taken 
occasion  to  introduce  the  name  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Clary,  a 
Congregritionul  clergyman  recently  from  this  State,  and  now 
the  pastor  of  a  congregation  in  that  city.     Regretting  as  I 
do,  that  the  name  of  that  gentleman  should  be  brought  be- 
fore the  public,  the  duty  is   nevertheless  devolved  upon  me 
of  making  an  explanation,  in  justice  to  both  of  us  and  to 
all.     On  the  morning  of  the  day  appointed  for  the  explora- 
tion of  the  nunnery,  Mr.  Clary  favoured  me  with  a  call,  and 
gave  niu  the  first  information  I  had  received,  that  his  name 
had  been  associated  with  mine,  in  the  order  for  opening  the 
cloisters  of  the  Hotel  Dieu  for  our  inspci  tion.     It  is  not  ne- 
cessary, were  it  even  proper,  to  give  a  detail  of  all  the  con- 
versation that  passed  between  us.     An  abstract  will  be  all- 
sufficient   for  the  purpose  in  hand.     Mr.   C.  informed  me 
frankly  that   his  position  was  peculiar,  and  he  seemed  ap- 
prehensive that  were  he  to  accept  the  invitation,  it  might 
place  him  in  an  unpleasant  situation.      He  said  his  name 
had    already  appeared   in  some  of  the  New  York  publica- 
tions in  connexion  with  the  controversy  on  this  subject — a 
letter  of  his  having  been  published,  in  which  he  had  declared 
that    admittance   int:>  the  cloisters  had  been  denied  him ; 
and  he  evidently  apprehended  that  the  present  spontaneous 
offer  had   been  m-ide  to  entrap  him      He  said  that  that  let- 
ter was  strictly  true,  as  he  had  once  been  promised  admis- 
sion into  the  Nunnery,  but  when  he  subsequi-ntly  applied 
for  permission   to  search    the  building   in  company    with 
Mana  M  »nk,  he  had  been  refused      He  was  particularly 
desirous  to  know  whether  it  was  my  intention  to  take  mere- 
ly a  cursory  and  superficial  examination  of  the  premises,  or 
to  make  thorough  work  of  it.     In  reply  I  assured  him  re- 
peatedly, that  uiy  determinntion  was  indexible,  to  make  as 
thorough  an  investigation  as   could  be  desired— that  the 


M 


f 


priests  hod  given  me  to  unuerstand  that  every  facility  for 
tliat  end  should  be  granted,  and  that  I  was  resolved  to  .cru- 
tinize  the  whole  structure,  in  all  its  ramifications,  from  gar- 
ret to  cellar — to  lift  ever}*  trap  door — to  inspect  every  secret 
vault — unbar  every  door — search  every  cellar — and  thread 
every  subterranean  passage.  Mr.  Clary  did  not  admit  that 
he  was  a  believer  in  Miss  Monk's  book,  but  he  was  evident- 
ly not  a  disbeli(ver.  Among  the  objections  he  started  was 
the  probability  that  were  we  to  make  the  vi.-it,  we  should  be 
called  upon  to  write  upon  the  subject.  To  which  I  replied 
that  1  could  perceive  no  objection  to  that ;  should  the  ex- 
amination be  full,  and  free,  and  fair,  we  could  say  so. 
And,  on  the  other  hand,  should  we  leave  the  institution  un- 
.satislied,  there  need  be  no  hesitation  in  proclaiming  that 
fact  likewise.  But  he  intiumtcd  his  apprelieiisions  that  we 
should  be  deceived  by  the  wiles  of  those  with  whom  wc 
were  to  have  to  do,  and  repeated  his  reluctance  to  place 
himself  in  such  u  position  that  would  compel  him  to 
write  any  thing  upon  the  subject.  We  parted  belbre  he 
had  determined  what  course  to  pursue,  with  un  understand- 
ing that  I  should  call  upon  him  in  the  course  (tf  the  morning, 
and  apprise  him  of  the  hour  of  entering  upon  the  investiga- 
tion. This  engagement  was  fullilled,  but  Mr  C.  was  un- 
determined whether  to  go  or  not.  Being  wry  onxious  that 
he  should  make  one  of  the  party.  I  urged  him  to  accompa- 
ny us— but  was  obliged  to  leave  him  again  in  a  state  of  un- 
certainty At  the  hour  appointed  he  culled  ut  my  hotel,  and 
stated  that  on  the  whole  he  thought  it  best  to  di dine  the 
invitation.  I  hinted  to  him  the  unpleasant  dilemma  in 
which  he  might  be  involved  by  the  refusal.  But  to  no  pur- 
pose.    He  retired,  and  I  saw  him  no  more. 

The  hour  ap|>ointed  for  commencing  our  researches, 
was  two  o'clock,  and  the  residue  of  the  mornmg  was  devo- 
ted to  the  study  of  the  latest  edition  of  the  "Awful  Disclo- 
.sures,"  which  is  accompanied  by  the  dniwings  of  the 
premises  as  laid  down  in  the  tablets  of  Maria  IMonk's 
memory,  and  for  a  copy  of  which  I  was  indebted  to  the 
politeness  of  Mr.  Clary.  A  f«w  passages  for  special  refer- 
ence were  marked  in  pencil,  and  the  leaves  turned  down  at 
otiiers.  But  my  detttrminution  was  to  nmkethe  examination 
ijook  in  hand,  and  refer  to  its  pages  as  occasion  might  re- 
quire.    Such  was  the  course  pursued. 

Punctual  to  the  appointment,  we  arrived  at  five  minute* 
after  two,  and  were  received  in  the  'apothecary'  by  the 
assistant  superior  Miss  Weeks,  an  American  lady, and  two 
other  sisters,  who  had  been  designated  to  attend  us.  I  in- 
quired for  Miss  Beckwith,  also  from  the  Uitited  States, 
whose  parents  reside  in  the  neighborhood  of  Batavia;  she 
was  immediately  sent  for,  and  soon  made  her  appearance. 


I 


16 


cility  tor 
to   cm- 
roin  gar- 
ry  secret 
(1  thread 
Imit  that 
evident- 
rtt'd  was 
hould  be 
I  replied 
[|  the  ex- 
d  say  so. 
ution  un- 
liiig  that 
s  that  we 
tvhom  wc 
to   place 
[   iiim   to 
x'tore  he 
derstand- 
inoriiing» 
invcsti^a- 
.  was  un- 
xiouB  that 
accompa- 
iit!  of  un- 
liotcl,  and 
chne  the 
anna  in 
o  no  pur- 
searches, 
as  devo- 
il  Disclo- 
of  the 
Monk^s 
il  to  the 
iai  refer- 
down  at 
iiiination 
night  re- 

minutei 
y'  by  the 
and  two 
8.  I  in- 
I  States, 
IV  ia ;  she 
jearance. 


f)ur  meeting  was  like  that  of  old  friends.  She  is  certainly 
one  of  the  moot  pr«*posses8ing  ladies  with  whom  I  have  ever 
met.  Her  countenance  is  full  of  intelligence,  and  expres- 
sive of  great  tenderness  and  sympathy,  and  the  tones  of  her 
voice  harmonise  with  these  qualities.  I  remarked  to  them 
that  I  presumed  from  what  had  been  dropped  at  our  former 
visit,  they  were  fully  apprised  ot  the  object  of  our  call — being 
if  possible,  to  test  the  truth  or  falsehood  of  Maria  Monk^s 
publications  in  New- York.  I  informed  them  that  I  should 
be  satisAed  with  nothing  short  of  a  minute  examination  of 
any  and  every  part  of  the  institution.  I  said  to  them,  frankly, 
that  I  had  been  admonished  of  their  arts  of  deception,  and 
had  been  told  that  they  would  mislead  me  at  «very  turn, 
and  tlirow  dust  in  my  eyes  at  their  own  pleasure ;  and  that 
consequently  I  trusted  they  would  be  neither  displeased  nor 
surprised  if  the  scrutiny  I  was  about  to  institute  should  seem 
«ver-nice  and  particular.  They  replied  that  it  was  their 
desin^  to  have  the  investigation  satisfactory  to  me,  and  that 
the  keys  and  their  assis.stancc  were  at  my  disposal.  The 
Lady  Superior,  they  informed  me,  was  confined  to  her 
apartment  by  indii^position — otherwise  it  would  have  been 
her  pleasure  to  receive  us  in  person.  She  would,  howevei, 
be  happy  to  receive  us  in  her  own  apartment. 

We  then  commenced  our  travels  and  researches — being 
soon  joined  by  several  additional  members  of  tlit  sisterhood 
wlio  accompanied  us  thnnigh  nur  examination.  Others  we 
met  in  their  respective  apartments,  busied  in  their  regular 
occupations.  Having  passed  through  the  hospitals  as  before, 
•we  entered  the  cloi.««ters,  and  proceeded  through  the  various 
apartments  of  the  first  story.  Every  door,  of  every  ioom, 
closet  and  pantry,  was  readily  opened  at  my  request,  and 
there  was  not  an  upnrtment,  in  cither  story,  which  I  did  not 
examine  wiib  ilie  closest  scrutiny,  to  note  whetherihere  had 
or  had  not  been  any  alterations — any  removal  of  piiriitions, 
closing  of  doors,  new  painting,  or  suspicious  whitewnshing, 
or  any  such  things — not  forpetting  one  truth,  inserted  by  the 
amanuensis  of  !VI«ria,  in  the  sequel  of  her  latest  edition,  that 
**  whatever  alterations  may  be  attempted,  there  are  changes 
which  no  mastni  or  carpenter  can  make  and  effectually  con- 
ceal." But  in  this  stoiy  ihern  bud  been  no  chiinges  of  any 
kind.  The  work  and  the  fixtures  were  all,  evidently,  time 
worn  and  ancient. 

There  were,  however,  trap>doors  in  several  of  the  apart- 
ments—  several  more  than  are  specified  in  the  drawings  of 
Maria  Monk.  Every  one  of  these  trap.doors  I  opened  my. 
self,  and  mto  every  one  of  the  vaults  I  derirended,  sometimes 
alone,  but  more  frequently  accompanied  by  Messrs.  Frnth- 
tnghHin  and  Shepurd.  These  vaults  were  usnallv  store-rooms 
for  the  accommodation  of  the  particular  npartmenii  immedi- 


il6 


I 


I 


■fc- 


1   I 


ately  above.  Every  wall  was  carefully  examined,  both  a^ 
to  its  iippearance,  the  texture  of  its  inorMi,  &c.  dtc.  After 
these  exHininations  were  ended,  the  s-isters  tonic  iia  Into  the 
Viirds,  and  conducted  us  intn  the  cellurs  and  vauUed  rooms. 
The  same  scrutiny  was  every  where  made,  ana  the  texture 
of  the  rntirtar  trie  I  by  an  iro.i. pointed  cane.  Kvery  door 
and  passage  way  was  opened  and  examined,  with  the  liUo 
results. 

We  now  re-entered  the  convent  and  ascended  to  the  next 
story,  examining  every  department  with  the  mos*  Helilierale 
and  eaglo-e.\ed  attention.  We  visited  the  cells  of  the  nuns, 
and  examined  their  furniture.  I'he  unsophisticated  reader 
may  peihaps  think  these  cells  are  very  diirk  and  gloomy 
places,  with  stone  floor-*,  and  lorks,  and  bars,  aiid  grates. 
No  such  thing.  They  are  neat  little  apart ments,  containing 
»  single  bed  with  green  curtains  and  coiinlerpam  s  two  old- 
fashioned  high  backed  chairs,  a  little  desk  with  n  small  Ciisn 
for  bookd,  and  within  which  is  also  a  rruciBx.  The  books 
so  far  as  we  looked  at  .hem,  were  such  as  good  Protestants 
mis;ht  bec>  mestill  b»>lter  by  reading.  Having  ascended  to 
the  attick,  we  had  now  eXHmitied  every  pari  except  one  of 
the  long  attick  rooms,  into  which  I  looked  carefully  thiongh  n. 
I^lass  window  at  the  he  id  of  the  stairway — Miss  Weeks 
baving  foriaroiten  lo  bring  the  key  to  the  door.  The  room 
was  used  foi  drying  clothes,  for  which  purpose,  as  it  was 
well  lighted  I  saw  the  necessary  fixiu'es,  and  I  did  not 
think  it  neccdiiafy  to  send  the  lady  down  all  the  stairs  fi>r  the 
key. 

Soon  after  we  commenced  our  investigations,  we  were 
presented  to  the  Lady  Superior,  at  the  duor  o^  her  apitriment, 
into  which  we  were  admitted.  She  whs  suffering  from  an 
attack  of  rheumatism.  She  it  a|lady  of  dignity  and  refin*<m«nt 
of  manners — somewhat  advanced  in  years.  She  received  us 
with  the  utmost  urbanity,  nay,  with  cordiality  ;  and  regretted 
not  being  able  to  accompany  us  through  the  institution.  In- 
deed the  nuns  have  all  (he  ease,  simplicity, dignity,  and  grace 
which  distinguish  the  hi^h  bred  mid  truly  genteel.  I  have 
rarely  seen  so  many  ladies  together,  possessine  in  so  ginut  « 
degree,  the  charm  ofuianner.  They  were  all  uflfi^hility  and 
Ikindnesd.  Cheerfulness  was  universal,  and  verv  unlike  the 
nulioiiB  Commonly  entertained  of  the  gloom  of  the  cloister. 
Their  faces  werQ  too  often  wreaihed  in  smiles  to  allow  us  to 
suppose  titat  they  were  soon  to  assist  in  smothering  their 
own  children,  or  that  those  sweet  spirits  were  soon  lo  be 
trodden  out  of  their  bodies  by  the  rough-shod  prients  oftbo 
seminary.  The  costume  of  the  black  nuns  is  itifl'erent  from 
what  I  had  supposed.  The  dress  is  of  black  bombazine, 
with  ample  skirt,  and  bishop  sleeves ;  th«'  neck  dress  consists 
of  a  largo  square  while  lui^n  cuUart  re«chi()gu^  to  ibe  «hin  ;, 


lined,  both  aa 
c.  &c.  After 
iilc  118  into  the 
uultud  rooms, 
a  ilw  texture 
Kvery  tloor 
with  the  like 

>d  to  the  next 

OS'  deliberate 
j«>f  the  nuns, 
inUed  reader 
k  nnd  filoomy 
s,  aiid  grates. 
Is,  containing 
im  9  two  old- 
I  n  srii'dl  Ciisn 

The  hooks 
d  Protestants 

ascended  to 
(xcept  one  of 
illy  ihioiigh  a 
Miss  Weeks 
The  room 
ose,  as  it  was 
ind  I  did  not 

stairs  for  Ihe 

ons,  we  were 

f>r)ip:irimeDt, 

ring  from  ait 

d  rrHnenieiit 

0  received  U8 
and  regretted 
titution.  In-i 
ty,  and  grace 
eel.  I  have 
in  so  gieat « 

(r^hihiy  and 
t\  unlike  the 

the  cloister. 

1  allow  us  to 
hering  their 
e  soon  to  be 
»rieHt.s  of  tho 
ifl'eroiit  from 

bouibHzine, 
ress  consists 
to  itie  fhin  ; 


17 

to  tiiis  is  attAched  a  strap  passing:  across  the  top  of  the  had 
to  which  the  bandeau  is  fastened.  This  is  a  white  linen  bund 
bound  round  the  forehead,  and  reaching  down  to  (he  eye- 
brows, so  as  to  conceal  the  hnir  entirely.  To  this  the  black 
veil  is  attached,  which  is  made  of  a  large  double  square  of 
biack  Itiilian  crape,  and  reaches  from  the  top  of  the  bandeau 
half  way  down  th(«  skirt  behind.  The  face  is  not  at  ail 
covered  by  the  veil,  nor  the  front  ofthe  person.  The  skirts 
are  turr.ed  ui)  like  those  of  the  ^rey  nuns.  The  tout  ensem- 
ble is  diirnihed,  becoming,  and  rather  graceful. 

In  the  recreation  room  wo  were  introduced  to  the  novices, 
some  tout  or  five.  'IMie  conversation  was  gay  and  cheerful, 
iind  so  pleasant  was  their  laughter  at  soiii«  of  our  remarks, 
that  I  asked  them  in  badinage,  what  riiiht  they  had  to  laugh 
— that  ill  audi  a  place  their  business  must  be  to  look  grave 
and  ^'loomy,  and  never  sniih; !  The  irreater  number  ot  nuns 
arc  advanced  in  life,  undsnnie  of  them  are  very  aged  In 
the  idfirinaiy  of  the  cloiditer  we  were  introduced  to  quite  an 
•nged  member  of  tho  cunnnunity.  Although  an  invalid  lor 
many  years,  she  was  cheorl'ul  and  ngree;ible — leceivmg  us 
with  marks  of  kind  consideraiion.  indeed  1  have  never  wit- 
nessed in  any  community  or  litmily  more  unatTecled  cheer- 
fulness and  good  humor,  nor  more  satisfactory  evidence  of 
entire  coiihilence,  esteem  and  h..rinony  among  eacti  other. 

Among  the  instances  of  innocent  sportiveness  which  oc- 
curred, proving  that  the  nien>  mischief  of  woman  did  not 
always  leave  her  on  taking  the  veil,  was  the  following :  I 
had  been  diligently  looking  for  the '*  purgatory,"  as  laid 
down  in  Maria  Monk's  hook.  The  sisters  told  me  I  must 
find  it.  At  length  we  came  to  a  senull  apartment,  less  an- 
cient than  the  other  wood-work,  built  out  from  the  wall,  in 
which  the  hired  women,  seamstresses,  spinners,  &.c.,  were 
at  work.  The  door  was  locked,  and  there  was  no  window, 
except  a  square  hole  cut  through  the  partition  deals,  high 
up  from  the  Hoor.  '*  Ah,"  1  exclaimed,  *  Miss  Weeks  what 
have  you  here  T'     "Mothing"— said  she— *' nothing  hut  a 

poor  nun  doing  penance  !''     *'  That  spinning  wheel," 

I  remarked,  *'  would  lie  penance  enough  for  many  young 
ladies  in  our  country.  But  give  us  the  keys,"  "  No,"  she 
said — "you  must  look  for  yourself."  Taking  a  chair,  1 
thereupon  climbed  up  to  the  dark  hole,  nnd  thrusting  my 
head  through,  discovered  that  tlie  mysteriuus  cell  was  a 
store  room  fur  loaf  sugar  hanging  around  the  walls,  and  a 
few  barrels  of  other  family  supplies.  And  this  w>  s  ail  the 
"  purgatory"  discovered  by  us. 

And  here,  perhaps,  1  may  as  well  remark  as  elsewhere, 
that  in  the  course  of  onr  inspection  I  took  frequent  oocasiou 
to  refer  to  the  drawings  and  the  pages  of  the  "  awful  dis-> 
closures,' '  and  I  am  constrained  to  say,  that  I  was  utterly 


19 


;     ^ 


I 


unable, throttghont,  to  .  ern  any  mark,  or  sign,  or  trace  of 
reaemblauce  to  aiiytiiinj;  she  ha«  laid  down  or  described, 
other  than  the  external  localities,  which  nobody  could  well 
midtake.  .  But  so  fur  as  regards  the  whole  interior,  neither 
C  nor  my  conipaitions  could  discover  from  the  drawin^^s, 
the  least  evidence  that  the  author  had  ever  been  within  the 
walls  of  the  cloister.  By  wuy  of  excusinjif  the  inaccuracies, 
or  rather  the  total  and  all  but  universal  dissimilarity  of  the 
map — the  friends  of  Maria  first  assert  that  ^reat  chancres 
have  been  niude  in  the  buikling;  and  if  that  is  not  sufficient, 
they  imploringly  exclaim — **Uh  what  can  a  poor  <;irl  do! 
We  do  not  prctentl  to  perfect  accuracy — but  she  hiis  given 
drawings  from  reaollection,  the  best  that  were  in  her  power." 
To  the  first  excuse  it  may  be  replied,  without  fear  of  con- 
tradiction from  unv  one  but  Maria  herself,  that  there  have 
lieen  no  ch  nges.  To  the  second  it  may  he  well  said  that 
the  girl  must  be  an  incorrigible  b  ockhead  not  to  be  able  to 
lemember  .somewhat  of  the  interior  of  a  house  she  pretends 
to  have  been  so  king  a  resident,  and  in  tome  apartments  of 
which  she  maintains  that  such  terrible  scenes  have  been 
•  nocted.  But  she  does  not ;  and  it  is  a  little  remarkable 
that  the  only  internal  resemblance  to  the  diagrams  she  has 
u'iven,  are  said  to  be  found  in  the  recent  Catholic  Magdalen 
iisylum  of  Mr  .  McDonell.  which  wasdissolv  ed  abou:  a  we«>k 
l>efore  our  visit,  and  in  which  the  celebrated  Jane  Ray 
remained  until  the  lust. 

liaving  imi  ended  ngoin  to  the  flpoiliecary,  Miss  Weeks 
iiiformtd  us  that  the  task  was  over.  1  titid  her  that  there  was 
iinother  cellar  ntider  the  winu  in  whicli  we  then  were,  whicU 
1  had  not  explored.  She  remarked  ihxt  ns  iha  did  not  pro- 
l^eriy  belong;  to  the  convent,  my  permisssion  did  not  extend 
to  it.  For  a  moment  my  suopicions  were  awiikened.  I  re- 
plied that  i  must  explore  that  cellar,  and  the  trapdoor  which 
I  had  just  disrovered  near  where  we  were,  or  my  woik  was 
not  done.  Miss  Beck  with  was  thf^reupon  despatched  to  the 
superior  for  permission,  which  w  is  iiumediutely  and  readily 
granted.  The  task  of  exploration  whs  fonhwiih  undertalien 
and  executed,  it  was  most  thtironghly  done,  and  we  were 
now  about  to  tako  leave,  when  I  discovered  another  cellar 
door,  leadii'g  from  the  outsit  directly  into  tlint  part  of  the 
building  from  beneath  which,  nrcording  to  the  plan  of  th* 
l>ook,  the  secret  subterihnean  passnges  lead  to  the  seminary 
one  way,  and  the  Congregational  (School)  Nunnery  the 
other.  I  asked  if  I  miL'ht  examine  tiiat  cellar?  Certainly, 
ilicy  said;  but  as  it  is  merely  the  kitchen  cellar,  we  did  not 
.suppose  you  cared  about  looking  into  it.  An  Irish  laborer 
near  by  was  then  directed  to  go  into  the  kitchen  for  the  keys, 
and  Mr.  Froibin^h'im  aikd  mys<  If  were  inducted  by  Pat  into 
the  receptacle  of  potatoes  and  turnips— ioc  such  it  proved  t» 


it 


,  or  trace  of 
r  dericnhed, 
'  couid  well 
rior,  neither 
e  drawings, 
1  within  the 
laccuracins, 
iirity  of  the 
nat  chnn^rcx 
)t  suflicient, 
uor  ((irl  do! 
i;  hiis  given 
licr  power." 
fear  of  con- 

therr  have 
>li  said  that 
I  be  able  to 
he  pretends 
artnients  of 

have  been 
remarkable 
ims  tihe  ha8 
:  Magdalen 
;)oui  a  wf«k 

Jane  Ray 

isR  Weeks 
at  there  was 
ero,  whicU 
id  not  pro- 
not  extend 
led.     I  re- 
door  which 
woik  was 
hed  to  the 
nd  readiJy 
ndertuKeik 
we  were 
her  cellar 
>art  of  the 
Ian  of  the 
seminary 
nnery   the 
Certainly, 
re  did  not 
h  laborer 
the  keys, 
Pat  into 
proved  ta 


**  a  great,  eloomy  iron  door !"  To  be  sure,  it  was  in  quite  a 
different  place  from  that  designated  by  bar.  But  ii  wn  h  locked 
and  would  not  yield  to  my  attempts  upon  ii.  Perhaps, 
thought  I,  we  shall  find  thi>  range  of  prison  cells  here — poor 
nuns  with  giigs,  au'l  a  charnel  h(ai«e  of  skeletons.  I  told 
Pat  he  mufli  open  that  door.  Well,  ho  said,  be  must  do  it 
upon  the  other  side — and  away  he  went.  In  a  moniciii  more, 
the  massive  iron  turned  upon  i'a   ponderous  bing*  .<<,  and  lo  f 

we  were let  into  the  dny  litibi  on  the  oilier  side,  in  a 

store  room  wliich  we  had  exiuiiined  before  I 'I'lieto  wns 

also  a  kilclien  well  in  ibis  cellar — sniall,  und  furiiiislicd  with 
an  old  lion  pump,  and  otlipr  rather  dibipidHied  fixtures. — 
JNot  8up|M)»in<jr  tliat  the  Nuns  would  throw  their  tmu'dered 
bL-Hers  and  rliildren  into  the  spring  from  which  tiiey  drew 
tlicir  water  for  their  tea  and  cooKuig,  I  did  not  descend. — 
The  walls,  however,  as  before,  were  most  ihoroiigbly  es- 
amined,  into  every  nook  Miid  corner — and  I  was  compelled 
now  to  cou'dude  my  subtertanean  resi-arctres,  without  being 
able  to  sindl  hnder  the  deep  fouiidaiinns  of  the  cathedrHl, 
and  slar'le  the  priests  of  the  seminary  by  coming  up  through 
one  of  liiuir  owii  trap  doors! 

I  have  alr«  ady  remurked,  that  the  cellars  in  general,  were 
used  for  store  rooms.  In  one  of  them  into  which  I  descend- 
ed  lhrou(;h  a  trap  door,  1  found  a  number  of  large  stone  jugs. 
Kecoilectiog  iliat  Maria  had  sjxiken  of  s<>me  vessels,  which 
from  her  dchcription,  must  have  been  carboys  of  sulphuric 
acid,  us<^d.  as  she  intimates,  with  lime,  to  destroy  the  remains 
of  the  murden-d  victims,  I  examined  these  jugs  Frnm  the 
odour  of  the  cvirks,  and  the  scent  of  the  ju^s  themselves,  I 
presumed  their  contents  had  been  syrups,  essences,  and 
medicinal  decoctions  for  the  sick  and  the  apoth>>eary.  The 
only  lime  that  1  discovered,  was  in  a  hot  bed  the  gardener 
had  been  miiking,  (for  radishes,)  1  believe. 

Thus  ended  this  examination,  in  which  we  were  most  ac- 
tively nngaied  for  about  ihreo  hours.  The  result  is  the 
most  thoM)  gh  conviction  that  Maria  Moi  k  is  an  arrant 
iinpostor~-ibai  she  never  was  a  nun,  and  wns  never  within 
the  walb  ot  the  cloister  of  tJio  Hotel  Dieu-  and  consequently 
that  her  disclosures  are  wholly  and  unequivocally,  from  be- 
ginning to  end,  unfrue — either  the  vngnries  of  a  distempered 
brain,  or  a  setiet*  of  calumnies  unequalled  in  the  depravity 
of  their  inveiilion,  and  unsurpassed  in  tlieir  enormity.  There 
are  those,  I  am  well  aware,  who  will  not  adopt  this  conclu- 
sion, thoiijrh  one  should  arise  from  the  dead  and  attest  it.-. 
even  though"  Noah,  Daniel,  and  Job"  were  to  spenk  from 
the  slumber  of  ages  uud  confirm  iL 

These  will  ask  why,if  the  "'Mscloaures '' Wfre  not  true, 
the  nunnery  was  not  at  once  thrown  open  to  the  public- 
why  its  (k)0rj,  were  so  long  closed,  and  why  did  silence  as  to 


'   I 


I 


k  ' 


I.    E 


I 


thoso  rhnrgcs  lo  1nns[  rrign  wiihin  Us  wnlU  ?  Tliero  arn 
sevenil  reisons  :  in  III**  6rr4t  phice,  the  inlea  were  so  imprn. 
bnbic  of  ihemselvcii,  anil  tliu  chnnirier  of  Maria  Monk  liersclf 
80  nitcrly  wurllilesH  und  dc*lesiiil>l«>,  timl  it  was  not  dremed 
noces><ury  to  pay  iho  lenst  rt'i'iiiH  to  iheni.  Tli«y  did  not 
siip|iosu  in  Montrt'iil,  nithor  withiii  or  without  the  convent, 
thut  thnrt'  could  (>u  tbiiml  in  (he  United  Stntro,  or  eU>*whero, 
periioiiHiio  weak  and  so  crtdidons  kh  to  lendtho  least  ncdcnco 
to  Ilium.  Hut  the  b<>hi  answer  is  found  in  the  !iensil)lc  rc- 
nmrks  of  the  lunis  tlieinsplves  '*  You  see,"  paid  lVli:«8  Weeks, 
"how  impossible  it  would  l>n  for  um  to  conduct  tlie  DHiublisli. 
niont,  if  viaiiers  were  usiuilly  admitted  into  the  cloiMior  for 
no  other  obji'cl  thim  the  gntilication  of  their  own  idle 
curi(^8ity-*-nioro  enpeciidiy  hu'Ii  crowds  of  visiters  as  wm 
should  hiive  had  nficr  the  pnhliciiiion  of  the  work/'  Pro- 
ceeding with  her  conv«r«aiiMn,  ..Ixi  ndd«d--.*'  We  are  con- 
stantly employed,  and  eHch  has  her  portion  of  occu|mtion, 
If  our  labourii  are  inierrupieii,  our  sick  must  suffer,  and  the 
wholu  business  of  tho  estubliHliiiient  cotno  to  an  end."  Ami 
besides  nil  this,  n  nmn's  Iiohko  is  hiM  castle,  and  what  man 
or  woman  among  u.s—or  which  of  our  hospitals,  or  public 
instiiutions,  would  consent  lo  Hut^pend  their  labors,  and  rc- 
linquush  all  their  comfoiN,  lo  i^r.itify  successive  swams  of 
Canadiuns,  or  others,  whose  cuiinsiiy  might  be  stiuiuhitcd  by 
the  8'  andttious  talus  of  one  of  Mr.  M'Oowcirs  pupih? 

In  answer  to  rny  ohj<  ciion,  tliitt  tho  drawings  furnished  by 
Maria  Monk  do  not,  so  tar  as  I  or  any  one  else  has  yet  been 
able  to  discover,  correspond  with  tho  internal  tixiures  and 
localities,  it  hos  been  said,  and  will  be  said  again,  and  again, 
that  great  alterations  have  been  made  in  tho  nunnery  ••tiiat 
masons  and  carpenters  and  painters,  have  been  at  work  these 
nine  months,  and  thut  thiMiowly  escaped  nun— (Krancos 
Patridge)  declares  thMt  so  many  nlierations  have  been  mado 
during  that  period,  that  she  should  scarcely  recognize  it 
hera«;lf.  To  this  f  answer,  most  emphatically,  it  is  not 
TRUE.  There  have  been  nti  suoh  alterations,  either  in  tho 
building  within,  oi  the  vaults  beneath,  or  the  walls  without. 
All  things  remain  ns  they  were.  Let  it  here  be  borne  in 
mind  **that  whatever  altr rations  may  be  attempted,  there 
are  changes  which  no  mason  or  carpenter  can  make  and  ef. 
fecttuiUy  conccat."  Impre<i.<'ed  with  this  truth,  and  it  is 
almost  Ihe  only  one  I  have  been  able  to  discover  in  the  book, 
I  went  prepared  upon  this  point. 

I  thought  it  not  unlikely  that  I  might  be  mystified  by  paint 
and  whitewash.  But  it  was  not  no.  There  is  not  an  out- 
ward wall,  nor  a  cellar,  nor  a  vault,  that  has  been  white- 
washed. The  mason-work  is  all,  everywhere,  of  stone- 
work, ancient  and  massive.  The  mortar,  moreaver,  has 
become  everywhere  so  indurated  in  the  lapse  of  lime,  as  to 


21 


f  There  am 
ere  «o  imprn. 
Monk  lifmeir 
s  not  (Ironied 
rii«y  did  not 
the  convent, 
or  el»«'whero, 
enst  ni'dcnco 
?  sensible  rc- 
lVlii*9  Weeks, 
tlio  ouiiiblisli. 
9  clointcr  for 
leir  own  idio 
isittuH  a«  \VM 
work."  Pro- 
\Vo  nre  con- 
f  occnpniion. 
iffHr,  and  tlin 
lend."  Ami 
nd  what  man 
iild,  or  pubhc 
iibors,  und  rc- 
ivo  swiuns  of 
sliinidiited  by 
pupiU? 
furnisiied  by 
has  yei  beert 
fixiures  and 
),  and  ugnin, 
Linnery  ••that 
a  work  these 
n— (Francos 
e  been  made 
recognice    it 

y,  IT    IS    NOT 

either  in  the 
rails  without, 
be  borne  in 
mpted^  there 
make  and  ef. 
h,  and  it  is 
in  the  book, 

fied  by  paint 
not  an  out- 
been  wiiilc- 
e,  of  stonc- 
Dre«ver,  has 
f  limo,  ai  to 


be  as  impenotrable  as  Ihr  stone  it  serves  to  coniont  together- 
No  budder  could  breHk  up  nn  old  stone  wulj  or  pHrli.ioii.iind 
remove  it.  or  stxp  up  a  vault,  or  build  up  a  gate  way,  with- 
out leHvini^  induliitnble  evidences  of  the  new  wmk,  and  the 
alterHtions.  Cnuld  any  huildor  in  New-York  build  up  the 
doors  and  windows  of  the  Bridewell,  without  ihu  ude  of  paint 
or  whiiew'ish,  so  »n  to  prevent  detection,  or  ho  as  to  make 
the  new  work  in  all  ruspects  correspond  whh  the  old  1  The 
tiling  is  iinposHible. 

Ag)iin.-M.(ria  Monk  has  Uiddown  the  track  by  which  she 
says  she  esruped,  and  has  i^ivon  a  narrative  >>(  the  way  she 
proceeded  to  ifet  out.  which,  in  the  first  place,  the  wall  she 
must  hovt  climbeil,  prove  ti>  have  been  iiiipn^Hiblf,  and  to 
which  the  internal  recnhtions  of  the  house,  as  I  believe, 
give  u  posiiivu  cnntrHdicion.  By  the  course  »\w  has  niurkod 
out  on  the  map,  she  iiiusl  hive  conic  lo  within  a  tew  leot  of 
the  hrnud  gate,  aUvayn  op*-n  in  Iht;  day  tnn(>,  loading  into 
St.  Jm8<  ph  street.  In  the  yard  where  she  then  w  iS,  there 
are  vaiions  doors  opening;  intos^'veral  parts  of  the  buildit.gs. 
WelU  .li  iving  been  near  (he  bi'iud  Kile,  sliu  buys  she 
wheeled  round  to  \\\n  ri>rht,  almost  eroMsed  her  track  in 
turiiini;  u  ums^,  and  fnially  escaped  throiiub  the  garden 
grounds  into  Ji  .in  liapiisitc  sireot.  Now  iliis  wlioh*  lulu  is 
not  only  improhable,  but  ab.<iolutely  iin|io.s.sibIe.  TluTe  is  no 
pass.l^e  that  way.  Miu  must  have  leaped  a  sur  re.-^sion  of 
wad.^ — ill'-  outer  wall  some  twenty  feet  lii^h — walls  which  no 
Unaiiied  mitrlul,  man  or  womm,  coidd  huve  suiinountud. 

When  lemindeii  of  ilifse  ricls  by  IMtssrs.  Jiaies  and  Le 
Clcic,  gentlemen  from  Montreal,  who  hail  an  mierview  with 
Maiia  HI  Mobsrs.  Van  N'Mtiand  &  Dwi^'ln's  (took  btore,  in 
August,  she  resorted  it*  the  usu-l  subterfiiffu,  that  there  were 
a  door  and  a  gate  there  then,  but  inliniatinti  thit  they  had 
been  alieiod.  A^rain  1  say  it  is  nut  true  !  Tlie  walls  Imvu 
stood  a  century-'^ihere  was  no  gate,  and  no  passage-way 
has  been  fdled  U|t.  A>  well  ndgKl  Alderman  Wouilmtrsend 
q  bevy  of  masons  !•>  bniul  up  the  portals  of  ihi-  (.'iiy  Hall, 
and  the  people  of  New-Yoik  not  know  it,  as  tbat  such  works 
could  have  been  cxecuti  d  in  Montreal,  anil  tin*  people  of 
Montreal  kept  in  ignoruiiee  of  the  t;u  t.  tWii  wlit'nie  this 
great  ilifiiculty  of  Pbcaptnsrl  I'liere  are  pleniv  of  doors  and 
gates,  und  every  nnu  has  a  key  nt  her  siiie.  Th^n'  restraint 
is  voluntary,  ami  they  can  break  their  vow  and  retire  if  they 
pleafcu  Or,  if  their  health  will  not  bear  the  eonfinement, 
they  cuu  l^ave  after  the  white  veil,  and  beforu  taking  ihq 
black. 

Again,  as  to  the  sf'eret  passage  under  ground  to  the  Se« 
niinury.  VViienee  its  necessity,  8inec  the  ^ate  is  alwciys 
open,  and  the  hospitals  wiiji  communicating  doors  lo 
the  cloisttifs  always  accessible  ?     If  such  passage  hu^  ev^v 


32 


U 


%t 


cxiitrH,  it  must  npcesinrlly  hiivo  IH  iinrlcr  the  fonndnilon  of 
the  stiipiMKloii!!  calliodriil  bcfMru  dcNcnhcd.  Tlie  foiiiKl'iiont 
of  this  Hiructiin*  woro  laid  broud  »w\  dorp.  ThfY  Hug  until 
they  ciini''  to  wittrr,  and  had  such  ii  pntliwny  t'xii<l«d,  it 
Mfould  h.ivn  b»»Mi  discovered  tht'n.  Mr.  FioiliinpliMin,  and 
hundrtMin  of  oiIicmh,  |  ed  tlu*  upot  dnilv,  itiid  m«  M«>d  tlio 
progroHH  uf  ilm  workriH'ii  contiiiuitlly.  V(<t  no  purh  |>  xage 
\VR8  ever  nfvn  or  lieartl  of  Ami  iln-re  hn«  bfvu  no  filling  up 
There  wns  iiuU>«>tl  iiii  old  piiNHiigo  way  to  the  river  "  rtiap» 
from  iIh)  oM  FrJtorh  church  in  Notre  Diiino  mh'mi,  now 
pulled  down,  roiistriic-tcd  nrrordiiig  lo  triidiiii)n<  for  use  in 
time  of  \\,ir---p«  rh  ipH  for  tlii»  piociircnu'ni  ot  w.ncr-- but 
llint  liHS  loii^  ynus  npo  Ixrii  filled  up.  It  wiis  piobubly 
Bomo  reiiiiniscriicu  ul  iliii  uM  ii^'iiir,  (hut  gtivo  thu  liini  fur 
the  8tory  of  iho  pa.^Ni  :<■  t;»  ihu  suiiiiiiury.  Dm  no  such 
passtige  exi.sis. 

A|.'inn,  118  to  til '  bir*i<ii  ami  murders  of  children  :  in  the 
first  pliiee,  the  u'hi  !e  i  I'o  \n  inipioloililr,  both  iim  tu  the  mur- 
der of  nuns  .-tid  in'iini  .  |)o  iiiitidi-iers  cluster  in  nuinbem 
to  perpetr  I  uicir  l)iilrherie<<,  iiiii  iliiis  purposely  l(irni«h 
the  nii'iiiMoi  conviciioM?  Would  iliey  be  so  foolish,  and  so 
mad,  ii8  to  keep  u  wiiiten  record  of  (heir  inurdfis  ?  And 
Would  po  niiiiiy  nioihnrs  consent  to  siriinule  their  own  ofl- 
f:|iriiip  ?  Cm  a  woniini  forget  her  mucking  child  /  It  is  not 
to!  Tlio  voice  of  indignant  nature  rii^es  up  to  proclaim  the 
fulsehnod  I  And  moreover|  as  (u  ilie  number  of  novit  es  nnd 
infants  :  !Vlist>  Monk  states,  tluii  on  a  certain  occuiiion,  she 
discovered  a  book  in  the  Superior's  cusiody,  cuntaining 
the  record  of  the  admissions  of  novices,  and  of  the  birihs  of 
infrints  who  were  murdeied.  About  twenty-five  of  these 
pages  were  written  over,  conlainini;  about  fifteen  entries  on 
a  page.  "  Several  of  these  pages,"  nIih  says,  were  occupied 
with  tiie  records  of  th*'  births  of  the  murdered  infants.  And 
all  the  records  were  eitbtr  ol  iiduiiHuions  or  births.  Now, 
we  will  allow  twenty  pages  for  the  records  of  adniissions  uf 
novices,  and  five  for  the  biiths  ()f  the  murdered  children. 
Fifteen  entries  on  n  pHge,  twen  y  pages,  will  give  us  the 
number  of  thrkb  hundked  ndmission«  in  two  years.  Now 
there  are  bni  thirty«six  nuns  in  all,  nnd  seldom  more  than 
four  or  five  novices,  or  postulants  .—Again,  ns  to  the  infants 
"-\i  we  allow  five  pfi^>  s  to  have  been  devoted  to  these  re- 
\.  ■>  of  bii  i,  we  have  skvi.ntv-kivk  births  during  tho 
Biino  period!  !  No>v,  as  I  have  uln-ady  said,  there  are  but 
thirty-six  nuns;  more  thtm  ono-h«lf  are  "  p'Si  ape."  Cer- 
tainly not  more  than  16  of  them  c<»uld  "  in  the  natural  course 
of  hu'oan  events,**  become  mothers.  Taking  Marin's  state- 
ments, therefore,  as  correct  data,  and  each  of  those  15  nuns— 
striking  the  avrrage—must  give  birth  to  two  and  a  half 
children  every  year !  I     A  most  prolific  nice,  truly  1 1     What 


33 


noniionso,  and  how  great  the  popular  rrcdii^ity  to  iwnttow  it  I 
— Diit  1  wuury  in  my  «<xpo-suru  orin)postiibiliti(>i<.  Vur  it  it 
neceitriitry  to  pruc*>w(l  further  with  ihvm.  I  ii\i)>lit  indeed 
write  n  volume  its  liii(;e  ah  her  own,  in  tho  expit'-inu  of  the 
inuUitii<liii()ti><  inontKiHtt  nricfl  and  coiiltndiciionH  uf  tho 
**  Awt'iil  l)i.s(-l(igu<rc^/'  Bill  "  tliR  i^iiiiiu  ivoiiM  1)01  l><)  worth 
tho  caiidl*;."  All  I  Itx  lies,  with  tlit^  ampU*  refiiiiiiiori  I  Imva 
given  iJK!  ^I'Ratiiml  os<fi(!iitiiil  fuuinro!)  (tf  Ikm'  woik,  tho  minor 
uiit  \o<i-i  iiiip'»Hi%Mi  t'lliriiMtionH  fall  to  tho  i^rotiiid  of  coiirtp. 
1  will  (Ir«;ru4^re  imw  <-loso  IIuh  protriu'trd  iiiiri.ktiv(>,  Uy  ox- 
preasiiii;  rny  ilrlii)ur>itc  and  soloinn  opiniitn,  foiiiiil(>(|  not 
vniy  ii|)')u  my  own  cirf^fi)!  cxiiminatioii,  t)iit  upon  llic  firmcHt 
convicthiiis  of  lUMirlv  tl>  »Miiiro  population  of  Mitiiroid"- 
emiM.t  in.;  tht^.  i;i't'tif  \un\\  A' {\\*i  iiii>!»i  itiii  llijicnl  «>vanv!oliciil 
CKriM.nns,    TilAT    \|  \Vv  1  \  MONK  IS  AN   AKUANT 

IMPosroR,  AMI  iii:r  Hook  iiv  all  n.s  ks. 

SEMiAL  I'KA'iUJKS,  ^  i.S^^UF,  Ol'  CALUM. 
NIES.  Ilowovr  iJ'iiiiy  '•>«  (.  atli^ilicn  omy  bo  in  other  re- 
«pe('l)«,  or  in  oih<  r  •  oon  »,  »•  i  insin  <  I  iioDor  .ind  profos. 
»or  (.r  the   Prot.'H    „i    C     '     I   ■  losT  SOLLMNLY   BR- 

kil:\  i:    iiiAr    riir.       "    rs  and  MiNs  aki: 

INNOCLNT  IN    IIIIS  MATi     R. 


Poftrscutrr. — Siiic(^  tho 
waa  plucoij  III  I  he  h.iuds  ut 
lion  ofsoii.e  of  the  fruMnIa  ui 
tervicw  with  ht-r,  l()ir<5th(M"  w 
%\\C  callH  lliT-flf.   t'laiiffrt  Pan 
to  coiitii'di  iiU   Mihii'd  statctni 
of  le'iror  of  her  own.     Tlie  re^ 
mo  rcMson  to  alter  u    iii(:lc  liiif 
add    o  ilic  fi)rce  of  iii\  conirudu 
ed  m  'h«  "  Awhil  ninclosiiren," 
it:  fi  r  if  I  bofire  h.ul  orUcrimnotl 


U  .LLfVM  L.  STONK. 

'     .10   forrL;oii);r  iiiirrativo 
•r,  Hi  il.f  iii^t'iii  solicitn- 
ii  >rui  Monk.  I  h.ivr  Imd  an  in* 
10  iitjwiy  c.-^capril    luin,  aa 
f^y  u  ho  has  nrnv(,'(l  it  season 
<l  add  divers  oiher  tales 
iliai,  HO  f,»r  (Voiii  giving 
r     I   have  wiitieii,  I  would 
s  of  thi!  calumnu'a  contain- 
I.injjiififje   would  allow  of 
iC  huusi  lingeriiii^  fragment 
of  ns  i-iincioii,  that  I  fould  in  any  i     '>■•''  have  been  deceived, 
this  ill    rvuiw  would  havo  doiio  all  iiv>.      .   The  frieinl.s  of  Maria 
have  I   oktd  upon  the  arrival  and  coinirinaiory  siaieinents  of 
Miss  V  uiridgc  as  a  god-send  :  but  if  they  ar«  ever  brought 
to  then  liirlii  iniiiiis  upon  this  sul'jecl,   they   will  lament  ia 
bitterne  >  of  heart,  that  they  ever  had  any  thiiijr  to  do  with 
either.      It  is  not  necessary  to  go  into  the  details  of  i his  shorl 
examinaiun  which  (  iz^ivo  them,  in  |iresence  of  some  half 
a  dozer,  of  their  iVienHs — clerical  and  laical.     Sr.ffice  it  to 
say,   tha    their   iinposiure  \wwc  in  ten  mmuies  rendered  as 
apparent  as  the  sun  at  noon-day.     I  am  now  more  free  and 
bold  than  ever  to   declare,  thai  nf.Uher  Maria  Alonk   nor 
Frances  /'  irlrids^ehas  ever  been  wilhin  the  walls  of  tht"  Convent 
of  the  lilt' I  l)ku.     So  iijnorant  indeed  is   Frances  Partridge 
of  the  infiiuuiion,  that  ahe  located  it  on  the  wrong  side  of  a 


0 


I* 


24 -^ 

very  larsfe  block  of  builHin^--iii&r^iri|^h  pftiMgeftfirf  ^talf-^^ 
way  entruHco  into  the  Hotel  Dieu  from  Noire  Dame-street ! 
Nor  was  this  a  mera  lapsus  lingua.  I  gave  her  time  to  re- 
cover: Maria— for  they  assiafed  in  prompting  each  other — 
gave  her  a  kind  hint  to  recover  herself,  but  she  did  not 
"  take,"  and  three  limes  distinctly,  did  she  repeat  the  fatal 
mistake.  In  the  course  of  various  other  questions, "she  stated 
that  within  her  knowledge,  a  new  sione  wall  had  been  erected 
across  a  purticular  cellar,  during  the  late  summer.  Tho 
story  was  untrue.  On  being  asked  which  of  the  cellars  had 
been  newly  white-washed  during  the  present  season,  she 
replied  that  they  had  all  been  thoroughly  white-wiished 
throughout,  this  season — that  she  had  herself  assisted  in 
white-washing  them — and  asked  Maria,  if  they  had  not 
formerly  been  engaged  in  that  work  together.  To  which 
Maria  assented.  jVoJt;  it  is  a  fact  that  neither  of  the  cellars 
of  the  Hotel  Dieu  has  ever  been  white  washed  at  all !  neither 
the  present  year,  nor  in  years  past.  Not  a  particle  of  white- 
wash has  been  used  benea\h  the  first  story,  and  the  walls 
are  as  bare  of  lime  as  when  taken  from  the  quarry  !  The 
examination  was  pursued,  especially  with  Maria,  until  the 
proof  was  as  clear  as  the  light,  that  they  were  both,  in  nil 
respects,  lying  impostors.  Under  these  circumstances,  I 
gave  my  views  to  the  gentlemen  present,  and  begged  them 
to  discard  them  at  once.  Rut  as  I  thought  they  appeared  to 
place  more  confidence  in  their  word  than  in  mine,  I  retired. 
They  urged  me  to  stay  longer ;  but  I  told  them  it  would  do 
no  good.  The  f  ict  was  now  unque.4tionable  ihut  they  had  ^ 
never  been  in  the  Convent,  and  remain  and  bandy  words 
with  them  I  would  not.  One  reverend  gentleman  waxed 
angry,  and  said  that  he  had  at  good  a  right  to  pronouoco 
nie  a  liar,  in  seymg  that  I  bad  been  in  the  nunnery,  •»  I  had 
to  pronouncf*  those  women  ^iars.  Of  course  I  took  my 
leave— pained  that  men  of  tsense  fhonld  show  such  a  spirit, 
and  allow  themseUot  to  be  made  such  egregious  dupes  of, 
by  two  of  the  most  nhallnw  impostors  that  I  ever  saw.  Tho 
apostle  speaks  of  certain  men  in  latter  days,  who,  among 
other  things,  were  to  **  !nake  captive  silly  women."  The 
case  is  here  reversed. — "  Silly  women"  are  *•  making  cap- 
tiire**  men  of  sense.  How  melanehidy  to  see  grave  theolo- 
gians, and  intell-pent  laymen,  thus  pinning  themselves  to 
the  aprons  of  such  iiomen  I     But  enottgh. 

W.  L.  S.       * 


^-'if'" 


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